


Isekai, OtoGe, Danmei

by shorimochi



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2020-11-08 22:57:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 39,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20843417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shorimochi/pseuds/shorimochi
Summary: Kuroko Tetsuya discovered the urban legend known as Truck-kun, a mythical entity used to transport ordinary people to become heroes in another world. Believing that his childhood friend had been reborn as a hero in another world, he decided to follow him - only to find himself transmigrated as the NPC, and life seemed to be a little different from what he expected."I've come to rescue you, Princess!""Too late, I'm already pregnant with the Demon King's baby."Getting a happy ending sure is hard.





	1. Finding a New Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Some trash I wrote after reading too much danmei. I'm so sorry. The plot is pretty much a rip-off from the many trashy danmei I read. They are trashy, but I love them (0w0)

That damn truck.

That truck took my best friend's life.

For years, I lived through a lonely childhood because of my low presence. Ogiwara-kun was my first friend. He motivated me to start playing basketball that I now love so much.  
It wasn't fair that Ogiwara-kun had to die because of a random passing truck, that the cops still failed to identify even now.

But hope is not lost.

I have done plenty of research since then. There is a possibility that Ogiwara-kun is still alive - somewhere, not in this planet. The government tries to hide it but people on the internet have been talking about the entity known as... Truck-kun.

It is allegedly a space-time device that sends chosen people to another world, disguised as a truck. The mechanism as to how the people were chosen was unknown, though looking at the qualities so far I could deduce that these people were sent to be heroes.

Why?

Because they were all nice and kind people, with hero qualities. Simple as that.

All the victims that were struck by Truck-kun were presumed to be average people. They had different qualities - some intelligent, some athletic, and some tech-savvy. However, above all, their common redeeming qualities, as described by people who claimed to know them, was that they were nice and thoughtful. They could never leave people who were in trouble alone. 

And so begins my journey in search for Truck-kun.

***

Some people theorise that you don't really need to be dead to go through the portal. All you need is your soul. In the first place the concept of parallel worlds and different dimensions could be said as metaphysical, so something as metaphysical as one's soul would be the only object able to pass through. As long as you could preserve your body, there was a possibility that you might be able to return to the original world. Again, these are all theories.

I, however, have no such luxury for cryogenic preservation or anything similar to that. I have to either cross the portal and return before my body begin decomposing or completely leave the world. I have no hesitation to do the latter. I have neither friends nor family here. Ogiwara-kun was the only person who would mourn for me and yet he was gone. My parents who had never returned since they left me with my grandmother in heaven, probably had forgotten about me as well.

Throughout the remainder of my middle school I began my new habit of observing people in order to find anyone with hero qualities. Unfortunately, there was none who would fit the bill. It wasn't until high school that I finally found him. Kagami-kun is the perfect main character. He's strong, he stands out, and he is good at making friends without even trying. He also has his own relatable human flaws (his stupidity) and is quite childlike sometimes. He is not the kind and caring type of hero, but he has this weird unique ability of sniffing people's strength level. The complete main character package.

I started following Kagami-kun everywhere since then. Good thing he also loves basketball. It was a good excuse for me to stick with him outside of classes as well. So far I had not seen him helping an old lady cross the road or anything like that, but he did share a burger with me once because I looked too thin, so I suppose that was a plus as well.  
Perfect. All I needed to do was to continue tailing him until the truck decides to make his appearance.

It took freaking four months for the truck to finally appear. Thanks, Kagami-kun. You truly are a main character material.


	2. World 1: The Demon King's Bride Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroko Tetsuya finally arrived to his destination...only to discover that he is now a princess?

I open my eyes. Instead of the normal white hospital ceiling or the blue painted walls of my bedroom, I find myself lying in a canopy bed, with a strange lady crying, dressed like a medieval era servant beside me. The lady, who notices I have woken up, gasps.

"My Lady, you're awake! Oh dear, I need to tell His Majesty!"

She runs off before I could say anything.

Looks like the voluntary self-summoning to the other world is successful. I smirk. It is so worth it pushing Kagami-kun away from the truck. He must be feeling guilty now, perhaps thinking he had caused my death. Sorry, Kagami-kun. What I did was actually suicide. I did not save you because you were my friend. I'm a horrible human being, yes.

Then I realise something.

My Lady?

Did the lady just call me 'My Lady'?

I look down at my white silk nightgown and long, teal hair that reaches down to my waist. Uh oh.

***

I, Kuroko Tetsuya, have been reincarnated as Princess Azure of Blue Dragon Kingdom - a place that resembles Middle Age England, but with the added elements of fantasy such as magic, elves, beastmen, and other mythical creatures. To simply describe it, it is like being sucked into a fantasy RPG, or MMORPG, whatever they call it. Kinda like Game of Thrones hit by the otaku beam too - except that there is no fight for the most uncomfortable chair in the world here. Confused about the world setting? You haven't read enough isekai manga then.

The original Princess Azure had caught the fancy of the Demon King - ruler of the Red Phoenix Kingdom, who wants me as a bride. He then proceeded to send his henchmen to abduct me - hence the reason why I woke up with a crying maid by my side. Luckily, I was found and saved by the royal knights sent by her father the king before the kidnappers could reach the Red Blood Castle, where the Demon King resided. Tch. I thought it would be Ogiwara-kun who turned out to be the hero who saved me but the guy who led the search party is just a pervert with dark blue hair who keeps sneaking glances at my breasts. Curse this low neck dress. Also, who in their sane mind decide that women should wear corsets, even when they are in bed? Just because I'm a princess now doesn't mean I value beauty more than comfort.

When they were questioning me, I simply confessed that I knew nothing about the Demon King and the abduction. And myself as well. The royal physician (a green-haired elf with glasses who speaks in weird sentences) concludes that I suffer from a head trauma that causes me to lose my memories. I hope it's not the case but what if the original Princess Azure had actually died from brain aneurysm and I was able to come here by replacing her? I'm so sorry Princess, please just blame the madman that wants to kidnap you and the unreliable knight who instead of rescuing you had focused more on fighting the kidnapper, causing the carriage wreck. I'm pretty sure this brainless knight is at least 40% responsible.

The king comes to visit me - only for mere two minutes before a pink-haired girl crashes into my room and buries my face into her ample bossom. Yes, thank heavens for the low neck dress - is what I would say if I were the perverted knight.

"Azure, my dearest sister! I was so worried about you!"

"Oh my dear Peach, let your sister rest. She had a hard day."

It may sound like a M*rio rip-off but this girl's name is Princess Peach. The two of us are twin sisters born a couple minutes apart. She is named Peach after her pink hair and eyes, and mine too came from my hair and eye colour. I wonder why she wasn't the one who got kidnapped? Wouldn't it make more sense for this beautiful Princess Peach to be kidnapped? Maybe it's because the villain's name isn't B*ws*r?

"If you could...let me breathe...."

"Oh, sorry," Peach giggles and smoothens my hair. "If only Blue does a better job at guarding you..."

"Hey, I saved her didn't I?" The perverted knight argued. Ah, so his name is Blue. Is it because his hair is dark blue? People of this Kingdom sure are super creative when it comes to naming their children.

Peach places her hands on her hips and glares at him. "And whose fault was it that my beloved sister was taken?"

"Che, how should I know that blondie was kinda strong..."

"Oho? And who was it that always blab out, the only one who can beat me is me'? Who was it, I wonder?"

Peach and the knight must have known each other for a long time. They seem close enough to fight, disregarding their statuses as knight and royalty.

"Blondie?" I repeat.

"Oh yeah, the guy who kidnapped Princess Azure," Blue says. "Unfortunately he got away, but we did get a good look at him. We have identified him as the mercenary beastman, codenamed Yellow."

A blondie named Yellow... really?

Blue shows me and Peach a poster. The word 'wanted' was printed with big, bold letters. An image of a handsome blonde man with dog ears is attached beneath the letters.

"Now that he has failed his mission, what will happen?" I ask.

Blue scratches his head. "It was only his first attempt. I reckon he will come again. The Demon King is known to show no mercy. If he doesn't show up with you, he's probably going to lose his head."

I shudder. Actually, now that I think about it, wouldn't it be better if I had just get caught by the Demon King? Then maybe Ogiwara-kun will come and save me. If Ogiwara-kun is here, no doubt he would be a hero. The Ogiwara-kun I know would come and look for me, without any doubt.

"The Demon King fancies me, doesn't he?" I say.

Peach frowns. "Yes, that was what he said."

I nod. "Then, there shouldn't be a problem for me to go to his castle."

Peach's jaw drops. "Azure!"

"Are you nuts? Did your head really got hit after all?" Blue's mouth has no filter.

"How can I possibly allow someone to die because of me, even if he is a stranger? I cannot possibly live in peace, knowing that so long as I'm here, the Demon King won't stop sending people to the gallows," I lie. "I will go to the Demon King myself."

Peach grabs my hands. "No! Azure, you don't understand - he's the Demon King! He's dangerous!"

I shake my head. "More the reason for me to go. If he wants me as a bride, then he would want me without a single scratch."

Peach is clearly not in favour with my decision. Blue stares at me as if I have lost my mind. The king himself has fainted.

"Great, that makes my job easier." A voice echoes from behind me.

My eyes widen.

As I turn around, my eyes meet a pair of golden eyes. He is there, crouching at the window, grinning.

"Hello, Princess. Yellow, here to whisk you away from this place."

... Isn't this the third floor? Are there no guards down there? How did he know exactly where Azure's room is? I have so many questions.


	3. World 1: The Demon King's Bride Part 2

It took one whole week but we arrived at the Red Blood Castle safely. By we, I mean myself; Yellow who drove the carriage; Blue who was there as my guard; and Green whom my sister insisted me to bring because of my frail health. They quarreled like a bunch of five-year-olds but aside from the noise disturbance nothing happened. Blue and Yellow defeated all the monsters and robbers on the road. Green used our short breaks to collect medicinal herbs and treated the two rough, rowdy men.

A purple-haired giant welcomes us at the entrance. The castle, as you can expect, is a castle that comes right out of your nightmare - the exterior only, though. The interior is completely fine. In fact, despite the scary gargoyle statues and vine-crawling walls the inside is pretty much the same as the Blue Dragon Castle. Whatever, I'm only relieved that I no longer have to share a carriage with three preschoolers. The giant introduced himself as Purple, the Demon King's chef and guardian of the castle. He, along with three demon maids and one elf gardener are the only servants at the castle.

I am immediately brought to my new chamber, much to Blue's horror. When the maid explains that the king would like to proceed with the wedding ceremony as soon as possible, instead of changing his mind and stopping her, he wriggles his eyebrows at me suggestively and tells me that a man's second brain is located at his nether region, so make sure to use tonight as a chance to stab the king to death before he stabs me with his meat scepter.

I threaten to cut off his dirty tongue with a real steel scepter.

Now, I have to wonder if the Demon King has been stalking me - or rather, Princess Azure, for a considerable amount of time. The red wedding dress is a perfect fit. How did he know my exact measurements? Not just the wedding dress, he already prepared several lounge and evening dresses in the walk-in wardrobe.

Bracing myself, I step into the chapel at the castle ground. Ironically, this castle belonging to the Demon King has a chapel, and it is a proper one - not even a devil or demon worshipper kind of chapel. It is the size of a small chapel with only few rows of seats but there are fresh white flowers lining both sides of the room. The Demon King is there, waiting at the altar. There is no priest. The only guests are my knight Blue, my healer Green, the kidnapper Yellow, and the giant Purple. It is already dusk and there is barely any candle so I could not see his face clearly at this distance, especially with the veil obstructing my vision. Nevertheless I walk the aisle confidently, my mind telling me that this is just another stepping stone before I can see my childhood friend.

Once I reach the altar, I dare myself to look up at his face. He is only a few inches taller than me. His red hair stood out enough, yet his heterochromatic eyes - one gold and one red - catches my attention the most. I can see that despite being labeled as a demon, he isn't bad looking at all. In fact, he is quite a treat to the eye, even if he is not as handsome as Yellow.

"Azure," he calls me, his voice charming and his eyes brimming with desire. "I knew you would come to me."

No shit, Sherlock. Didn't you order your henchman to kidnap me?

"Yellow, as strong as he is, cannot overwhelm your knight. But I know, you would choose to come here on your own accord."

How did he know? Yellow hasn't reported the whole incident, has he? We just arrived. Can he read mind?

He chuckles. "Before you ask - no, I was not reading your mind. It was simply logical deduction. I will explain later - after we are done with the ceremony. After all, I expect that we will encounter some pests soon."

I blink. "What do you mean - "

Before I could even finish my sentence, the Demon King pulls me into his embrace, whispers an inaudible sentence into my ear, then proceeds to remove my veil.

Without any hesitation, he closes our distance and brings his lips to mine.

Instantly I feel a burning sensation on my bare right shoulder.

'Marriage Contract Complete'.

Still dazed, I slowly glance at my right shoulder. A weird marking the shape of a rose appears right at the place where it burned.

"Now you are officially mine, my beloved Azure. With this contract, you will never be able to get out without my permission."

I might have just thrown myself into deep shit.


	4. World 1: The Demon King's Bride Part 3

I open my eyes and see white ceiling. I hear the beeping sound of a machine. I blink. Machine? But machine doesn't exist here. At least not digital, electronic machines with beeping sounds.

"Oh, you're awake! Please wait for a while Kuroko-kun, I'll call the doctor for you."

The nurse hastily puts down the clipboard and rushes to get the doctor. For a moment I experience the feeling of deja vu, except that this time I'm waking up in a hospital. Was everything so far simply a dream? Have I been in the same world all this time, living in a dream while in coma? Did I fail, and the truck that hit me was just a truck?  
But it felt so real. Everything felt so real. The week I spent travelling with those three, the pain in my butt from the horrible carriage ride, the... the kiss.

The last thing I can remember was getting married and then being dragged to the Demon King's chamber. Have I lost my virginity imaginarily? I have no recollection of what transpired after the door was closed. Maybe it was my innocent, virgin mind that was unable to project the image due to my inexperience. Perhaps it was all a dream, indeed.  
The doctor confirms that I am recovering with a good prognosis. Seems like I have only been hospitalised, and unconscious for two days. I have a fractured rib, few scratches and scrapes here and there, but nothing else broken. They are quite puzzled as to why I was unconscious even after the anesthesia has worn off, as the scan shows no signs of head trauma - I only had a bump that was gone after a day. They theorise that it was because Kagami had cushioned my fall. The guy is stupid but his reaction time is no joke. I had pushed him away from the truck but when the vehicle hit me and I was flying like a ragdoll from the impact, he had caught me and minimised the injury by shielding me from hitting the ground.

He got away fine and alive too, with a sprained wrist that would heal in a couple weeks and a few abrasions. Kagami-kun, you're a monster. I bet you can fight a bear unscathed.  
He came to visit me a couple of times at the hospital. He repeatedly apologized each and every visit. Poor guy still thinks he almost killed me with his carelessness. If I tell him it was my own suicidal act, he would be the one sending me to the other world instead. I was released after two weeks in the hospital and Kagami-kun came to pick me up. He brought Aida-san, our coach and her dad so we could get a ride in his car.

By now I have come to accept the fact that Truck-kun is most likely just an urban legend popularized by chuunibyou kids (If you don't know what chuunibyou means, you haven't watched enough anime). I was stupid to believe in that. Maybe that dream was just the heaven's way of telling me to stop grieving and start accepting Ogiwara-kun's death. I was lonely, but I have new friends, and a new team now. I should move on.

Aida-san blamed Kagami for being careless and talked about how he even filled in the wrong hospital form, causing me to get sent to the wrong ward for a whole day. Luckily Aida-san's father stepped in as the guardian to sign all the necessary consent forms later. They are all so nice, they did not even question why neither of my parents nor any relatives came to see me.

Since I live alone, Kagami invited me to stay at his apartment for a few days until he could make sure that I am really fine. He is a great cook - a big gap from his fierce image. He even gives me his bed and chooses to sleep on the futon, even though I am the guest. Thank you, Kagami-kun. Did you think I was going to refuse and take the sofa instead? Since I have a fractured rib and you have a nicely healing wrist, I'll indulge in your hospitality, even if you're telling me to at least pretend to be polite. I always prefer honesty.

If you were in that world, you'd definitely be one of my knights. I have a feeling you'd get along well with Blue. The two of you would make good rivals in sports. Too bad that world is just a figment of my imagination.

Or so I thought.

The next day when I wake up, I find myself being held in a pair of strong arms, and saw brillliant red. Something - or rather someone, is rubbing their chin on my head while tracing my bare back with their fingers.

These arms are definitely not Kagami-kun's.

"Oh, are you awake, honey?"

My jaw drops. The Demon King smirks.

I'm back.


	5. World 1: The Demon King's Bride Part 4

The Demon King's castle sure has a lot of expensive stuff. They are old, they are antique, and no one but the Demon King would have a hair brush made of silver. Good thing my hair is not as messy as a bird's nest when it's this long. But that's not important right now.

How? How did this happen? I thought I had failed, and that this fantasy world was a dream. Have I really died, and my original world was a dream instead? Or did I get hit by another truck in the middle of the night? This is not 'Ble@ch', you can't just make your appearance like that, Truck-kun. You're supposed to be inconspicuous, a being so sneaky that you only remain as an urban legend. Moreover, Kagami's apartment is on the fourth floor. Don't tell me it's the debut of Helicopter-san? 

Maybe I'm thinking too much. Maybe I just rolled off the bed and fell, and aggravated my injury, punctured my lungs with my broken rib and died.

"You're going to go bald, Azure. I happen to like your hair, so stop brushing," says the Demon King as he takes the brush from my hand. "Something in your mind?"

I bite my lower lip. "Last night..."

The Demon King chuckles. "Hm? What about last night?"

Earlier this morning when we woke up, I had nothing on me but my undergarments. The Demon King too, was only in his pants. I spot the same tattoo on my right shoulder on his left shoulder. The same black marking, that seemed to replace the function of wedding rings here, or at least in the demon community.

"Am I still a virgin?" That question pops out instead. Stupid me. There are more important things to ask. Well, that one is important too...

He laughs.

"Are you disappointed or relieved?"

I shrug. I am disappointed, but more because there was no hero coming to rescue me during my wedding at all. I had expected a couple of warriors coming to stop the wedding, but none. Why was the Demon King so eager to get the ceremony done? 

He smirks. "Well, this is why I like you, Azure. Always so blunt and honest with your words. There are no lies in your eyes."

I frown. "I'm not really as innocent as you may think." And I'm not the real Azure too.

"And I love that part of you as well. You do not hide your ill intent - if any, too. No, to be more precise - you do not try to deny it. Anyway, to answer your questions - we have not consummated our marriage yet, unfortunately. You fell asleep as soon as I brought you here - like a narcoleptic person. I did remove your dress, as it would be uncomfortable."

Hm. At least he is a gentleman. He did not take advantage of me while I was 'sleeping'. I should use this chance to tell him that I'm not the real Azure. Maybe he is not as evil as what people made him to be.

"I have a confession to make," I say.

"Hm ?"

"I'm not the real Azure."

"... Your whole kingdom would burn down if you're a fake one."

"... I mean, this body is Azure's. My mind is not. I'm actually from a different world."

"... Okay."

I blink. Does he believe me or not? Why is he acting so indifferent? 

The Demon King hums for a moment. He takes his time and sits back on the bed, his back facing me. "I am the Demon King, who has the blessing of the God of Death. Just last week I did sense a fluctuations in the passage of souls in this world. Who knew it'd be you."

I am puzzled. God of Death? What kind of setting is that? This world transmigration thing unfortunately is not as convenient as it looked like in manga and novels. There is no tutorial and I do not have Azure's personal memory. I feel like I'm playing an incomplete game with unfixed bugs and plot holes.

"Then... are you not mad?"

The Demon King raises an eyebrow. "You're still Azure. My beloved wife."

"But my soul is - "

"Still Azure," says the Demon King. "None of it matters. It doesn't change the fact that I choose to marry YOU, and it is you whom I've vowed to be with. I may have watched Azure's soul for a long time, but it was you whom I fell for at first sight."

That is flattering, but...

"...Are you aware of what happened to the original Azure? Do you really like her?"

He smirks. "I used to like only your appearance, but now I love your personality too. You're charming."

....

"By the way, what is your name?" I ask.

The Demon King blinked. "My...name?"

"Yes. How should I address you? Calling you Demon King all the time is a bit..."

"Hmm...you're right. How about 'darling'?"

"Rejected."

"My beloved husband?"

"Definitely no."

"Daddy?"

I almost choked on my saliva. "Just tell me your name, please."

The Demon King laughed. "Fine. Before I was the Demon King - I was called Red. You may call me that."

"...Very well, Red-sama."

He chuckles. "Good. Now, do you prefer to be called by your real name, dear transmigrator?"

I don't hate my name, but the name Azure would remind me that I am in a different world. I do not want to get used to this world yet. Ironic, considering I was the one who jumped straight to my 'death' here.

"Azure is fine."

"Okay, sweetheart."

.... What is the point of asking me my preference then?

"Now, let's consummate our marriage shall we?"

I freeze. "It's like, eight in the morning."

"Ten, actually. Does it matter? We're newlyweds, it's our honeymoon period."

"We are not on a honeymoon."

"If you wish to go somewhere special, I have a private cabin at a really beautiful mountain. We can teleport there in a minute."

"I... I was a guy. My mind is still a guy."

"Don't worry, I don't discriminate. If it bothers you, shall we both undress so we can see the difference in our bodies?"

My already expressionless face stiffens and I look at my own...breasts. My hands wander at my tummy and I suddenly realise that this current body of mine can even carry offsprings now.

"So, aren't we going to have a first date, then confession, then..."

"We're married, and this is not some sappy romance novel. Now, here or cabin?"

Apparently there is no option of 'please wait until I am ready for my first time'. Fine, what is virginity anyway? Does it matter? I'm giving it to my husband, even if I barely know him.

.....

Okay, I am curious. Can't say I never fantasize about it. We are married. He is attractive, even from a guy's perspective.

"Please be gentle with me."

"Oh, I will be."

I got eaten. No regrets there.


	6. World 1: The Demon King's Bride Part 5

My first time did not hurt as much as I thought. Probably because he was very gentle to me. It could also be because I had originally expected that he, as the demon king would have some sort of magnum sword or beastly stamina. He was still impressive, but nothing monstrous. I don't know, perhaps I am being lenient because I have nothing to compare him too except those unrealistic light novels. All those unrealistic depictions of three days and three nights of humping non-stop like a rabbit was ridiculous, fortunately. 

Red did leave one or two marks on my nape and chest, perhaps to show off. I also notice that the black rose marking on my shoulder has turned red. He explained that the mark turns red when the marriage is completed. It seems like the mark can tell more than just the demon's relationship status. He told me that if I were to get pregnant, the mark would turn gold. A demon whose partner dies would have only half a mark. Also, demons do not get divorced. If you happen to hate your partner and wants to have a new one, too bad for you - you'd have to kill your former partner before marrying the new one. Brutal. Otherwise, you'd just have to live separately and not remarry at all. However, divorce is super rare according to Red. Demons, beastkin, and elves are very loyal to their partners - which also explains why their numbers are much smaller than humans. They never have multiple partners unlike some humans who practice polygamy, and their birth rate is low to begin with.

The first week of our marriage, I was not allowed to leave the palace. Red seals all entrances not just with physical locks but with magic circles as well. The only entrance open is the front gate where supplies such as food stuff can be carted in and it is guarded by Purple. The giant is very loyal to Red.

Red wouldn't tell me why but I have an inkling why I am not allowed outside.

"Red-sama."

"Yes, my dear?"

"Are we having any visitor?"

"No, dear."

"...I can clearly see at least five people outside the gate." They have swords and spears too.

"Doesn't count if they're uninvited, and if they can't get inside."

... Fair point.

My guess is that my father has put up a notice or any announcement for adventurers to come rescue me from the clutch of this 'evil' redhead emperor. Too late, father. Your daughter has been deflowered few times already. She does not dislike it too. Our intimate moments were always consensual and nobody hates consensual intimacy. It might just be my hormones enjoying it but I never pushed him away, so...

No, I'm not a pervert. I am a normal person. We do not have TV or internet here, so of course we'd enjoy other stuff. He is my husband. That's right, I am totally normal for enjoying a married life with this handsome stranger.

Green has been preparing health tonics for me everyday. Yellow is often out for missions while Blue usually enjoys hunting. The 'evil' Demon King, to my astonishment prefers grains and vegetables over meat. Ever since I start living here I've been learning how to make tofu soup from Purple. If I haven't seen him eating fish and eggs brought by Blue I would have thought he is vegetarian. Meat is not that hard to obtain especially for people as strong as the demons and according to Yellow there are plenty of wild animals in the mountains, and they taste pretty good roasted or smoked.

By the third month of our married life it comes to my mind that this is not good. I am slowly getting to used to life here. Red still does not allow me out without supervision but he is good at providing distraction and entertainment. During the day he would teach me archery, self-defence, and sorcery. At night he would either read to me or...do husband and wife things. Once a month on full moon he brings me out to the night market. I later realise that full moon nights are when monsters are especially active so most adventurers would not be in town, as they would instead go to the mountains or the woods to hunt. Ironically that is the safest time for us to go out since nobody expects the Demon King would ignore the potential of power unleashed by the full moon to go out on a date with his wife.

The heroes, however are not stupid. They soon figure out our schedule and on our 101st day of marriage, a group of adventurers stand outside the gate attempting to break in. This time they are smarter and have brought along magicians who can force the seals open.

It just so happens that today is the day Yellow is out with Green to collect herbs for the tonic and Blue is out hunting. I wake up feeling sore from last night's activity. The loud yells of the adventurers who have been camping outside for days have finally reach my ears, a sign that the seals and barriers are weakening. I glance at my left side. Red has already woken up and left, possibly to deal with the adventurers. I yawn and stretch my limbs as usual, then head to the bathroom to freshen up.

That is when I notice something different about me. The red rose on my right shoulder has turned gold. Seems like Red's manly essence has finally made its way to the goal last night.

Oh heroes...you all come too late.

I'm already pregnant with the next Demon King.


	7. World 1: The Demon King's Bride Part 6

I remember Green once told me that carrying a demon's offspring is a much greater stress than normal human pregnancy. It is the reason why Red insists him to make health tonics for me everyday. Demon King, your wife is finally pregnant now and you're not even here?

Fine, I forgive you. It's bad timing - for everyone.

I dress and decide to find him to convey the news. I wear a sleeveless long red dress and a white coat to cover the mark - I might as well give him a surprise. The adventurers can't have broken through already, right? Purple is there, guarding the entrance.

However, to my surprise, I see Red at the hall sitting on his throne facing a group of adventurers who are all well-equipped with their weapons. Purple is sitting at the entrance there with bruises all over him. I have confidence in the giant's ability but going against 30 adventurers must have taken a toll.

An adventurer sees me and points his finger at Red. "I knew it! You've kidnapped the princess, you vile demon!"

Red raises an eyebrow as he pulls me to sit on his lap. "You're wrong. Azure is my wife and she came to me willingly."

"Lies! How can a sane person be willing to marry the Demon King? Return the princess to her family!"

He narrows his eyes. "I am her family. We had our ceremony and even registered our wedding."

Holy cow, we did? I had no idea marriage certificates exist here. Which office approved the document and how did he register?

"As if such union would be blessed! Everyone knows you forced Princess Azure to marry you, you shameless demon!"

Hold on, I recognize that voice. Wait, isn't that Ogiwara-kun, standing right next to the loud guy? So you really are here, Ogiwara-kun?

All hail Truck-sama!

.... but why did you appear so late? I'm pregnant now, what are you going to do? 

We exchange eye contact. I notice he immediately blushes.

Ogiwara-kun, don't you recognise me?

"Princess Azure, it is an honour to meet you. Please be at ease, we will defeat the Demon King and return you to your homeland!"

... I am disappointed, Ogiwara-kun.

I raise my hand. "Actually, no need. I am quite fine here."

The heroes' jaws drop. Even Red looks slightly surprised. Tsk, do you not expect me to be loyal to you? You look down on me too much, darling. After a hundred days of being a sweetheart, how can someone not fall in love with you? Our meeting might have been unpleasant but the days we spent together are precious to me. I was, and I am happy.  
I've always been invisible to others but for some reason you have always been able to see me.

My face closer to his, I whispers to his ear, "Our child needs his father. How can I ever leave you?"

His eyes widen and he looks at me with delight and joy in his face. He takes my hand and kisses it. "Wait for me, love."

He leaves me at the throne as he goes to face the adventurers. I notice his does not bring his sword. It should be okay, he is the Demon King.

Then as I watch him go against the adventurers, struggling all by himself as he barehandedly knocks out each of them a horrified thought comes to me.

He is in a great disadvantage. I finally remember Green once told me that both the elf tribe and the demon tribe practice a period of no blood shedding during pregnancy, and they are also not allowed to kill. It is their tradition to not take a life while nurturing a life. I suddenly realise all this time he never hunts himself, and has been transitioning to a vegetarian diet to prepare for when I get pregnant.

Oh no. I should not have told him.

Defeating the adventurers should have been an easy task for the Demon King if only he is able to use his sword and magic without hesitation. I panic and stand up to tell him - that his life is more important than a stupid superstition. To my shock Ogiwara-kun has slipped away from the battle and tries to grab me to escape together.

"Princess, let's take this chance to run! You must not be deceived by the-"

He pulls my arm so harshly that the coat I wear slips down, revealing the golden rose on my shoulder. Instantly his face changes.

"You...you're pregnant?"

I look at him with terrified eyes. He releases me abruptly and shoves me to the ground.

"You filthy woman!" He screams. "You're carrying the seed of the Demon King!"

I am stunned by his words. There is no way this young man is my childhood friend. The Ogiwara-kun that I know would never utter something so, so...

Red sees me on the ground. "Azure!" He yells.

I gasp. Two more adventurers rush towards me with their spears.

"Do not let the Demon King or any of his offspring survive! Kill the blasphemous woman!" One of the adventurers shouts.

It happens in an instant. Red kicks the surrounding men and leaps to shield me. I watch, frozen stiff as multiple spears pierced through his abdomen right before me eyes. I feel Red's cold hands on my tummy desperately protecting the new life inside.

It does not last long. A sharp, painful sensation comes to me. I look down and see the tip of the sword sticking out my belly. I hear Ogiwara-kun's pants. Only then I feel the cold metal that has penetrated my body.

I fall into the puddle of blood, my arms still holding my husband. He is still alive. I can see his grief-stricken eyes and his rapidly heaving chest. I hear Ogiwara-kun's cheers for their victory.

I extend my fingers to touch Red - for the last time. Something wet flows down from my eyes and mouth before everything turns dark.


	8. Extra 1: The Real World

*Akashi Corp HQ*

"As we expected, there is a brain activity, sir."

Akashi Masaomi stared at the newly sent report. The result was consistent with the data they had last time. Truly, that boy's sudden appearance was like an unexpected miracle.

He chuckled. Should he thank god for the boy's accident, or the tall redhead for sending his friend to this hospital?

"Send a letter to Seirin High and Kuroko Tetsuya's parents."

"For how long are we going to do it, sir?"

"Three months. Transfer Kuroko Tetsuya to the VVIP room and do not let anyone other than his family member visit."

"Understood."

Akashi Masaomi picked up the framed photo on his desk. A stern-looking adult, a beautiful woman, and a red-haired boy were sitting together in the photo.

"Shiori...the treasure you left me... I'll definitely bring him back."


	9. World 2: Demon Lord and Shinobi Part 1

The moment I knew I was dead, I expect to see either the Sanzu River or Kagami's room.

I did not expect to see a row of ninjas in black garments kneeling next to me. I nearly lost my balance before realising that I am actually kneeling as well.

"Rise, my shinobi."

I look up and see a pink haired princess dressed in a traditional kimono right before me. Wait, isn't this Princess Peach? What happened?

"Satsuya-hime, please allow us to retrieve the Lord's treasure back! To let Kaijo hold possession of the treasure is an insult to Touo!"

"Sakuraba is right, Hime. Letting Kaijo have it is the same as handing it to our enemies. How can we be sure that the treasure will be safe in their hands? In no time it will be gone."

Satsuya-hime raises her hand to calm them down. "I understand your concern, Sakuraba-kun, Imayoshikawa-kun. However, I believe Kaijo has the famous samurai Kiku Ryota. I doubt it would be that easy for the treasure to fall into the hands of our enemies."

"Kiku is an idiot, Satsuya. One glare from that demon and I'm pretty sure he's gonna piss himself and hand the demons the blade."

The man called Imayoshikawa, a shady looking guy wearing glasses glares at the big guy next to me. "And who's the bigger idiot who lost to Kiku? Address the princess properly, you fool Aoda!"

I do not recognise Sakuraba or Imayoshikawa, but I am pretty sure the one they call Aoda was the knight, Blue, in my previous world? Exactly what happened here? What is my role? What is this situation?

I still haven't recovered from literally being backstabbed by my childhood friend. I just saw my husband die right before my eyes and suddenly this?

Seriously, tutorials, please! Don't every RPG has a tutorial or an NPC that would explain everything? In every isekai novels I read all the protagonists would have someone conveniently explaining the situation to them! Where are the gods who'd give me OP stats, kind non-judgmental villagers who'd adopt me, or the random warrior who'd bring me to the guild?

Unless...

I am the NPC. Makes sense. Only the main character would receive the tutorial. I was able to feign amnesia as Princess Azure but what am I supposed to do now? I know nothing about ninjutsu other than the fictional knowledge from Naruto. If I concentrate enough can I feel my chakra?

"Rather than dealing with Kaijo to get the treasure back, why don't we deal with the enemy directly? Then it doesn't matter if the treasure is in whosever hands, right?" Aoda snorts.

Imayoshikawa blinks. "For once you have a good idea, Aoda. Now that the blade forging has been completed, the demons ought to be desperate."

Satsuya-hime nods. "Indeed, they are. The Demon Lord is in fact rumoured to be looking for a vessel to bear his kin."

Sakuraba clenches his fist. "Hime, doesn't it mean that you are in danger now? The demons will definitely look for virgins with strong spiritual powers to bear their lord's son. Satsuya-hime, you are the heir of Momozawa clan and is known as the strongest princess on this region!"

Finally, some background for me to work out on. So, who exactly is the main character of this world?

"Of course we as Touo shinobi, retainers of the Momozawa clan will protect her. However, just as a precaution..."

I notice Imayoshikawa's eyes linger at me.

"Hime, this is just my suggestion, but why don't we seek temporary protection from our ally at Shuutoku castle?" He suggests.

Aoda frowns. "Ah? You want to rely on that prick Midoriyama?"

"The clan heir and I have a good relationship. It is indeed a good idea," Satsuya-hime agrees. "However, the journey from Touo to Shuutoku is not short. We have to go through Yosen and we know they are not opposed to the demons."

"We can create a distraction. Let's have Kurokono act as your kagemusha, so that nobody suspects that you have left the castle," Imayoshikawa says.

Kurokono...is that me? What the....this guy! So am I just a cannon fodder in this arc of anime? Just a weakling shinobi destined to die in place of the princess? No wonder there is no tutorial or NPC to explain the situation. I don't even need to know the situation - I'm just going to be left as a salted fish here.

"What do you think, Kurokono-kun?" Satsuya-hime asks.

As if I have an option. There is no retainer in this world who would say no to protecting their master.

I bow down to the princess. "Anything to protect Hime."

Imayoshikawa, the shady mofo looks satisfied and very punchable. "That's what I expect from our top kunoichi."

Ah, so I'm still a girl here. No wonder the thing between my legs is missing. But why do I not have decent breasts like last time?


	10. World 2: Demon Lord and Shinobi Part 2

The very next day the Touo shinobis make their secret preparation to depart. Only we the shinobis are aware of this plan. The other servants have not been informed at all. Satsuya-hime and I exchange our clothings. She puts the long pink wig on me and does my makeup herself. 

Under the pretense of carrying out their usual mission the shinobis set off. I am left at the castle with two men whose names I don't know. I simply stay in Satsuya-hime's room, pretending to read some scrolls. Maybe there are some tutorials to master shadow clones jutsu here. Maybe I was actually reborn in this world to begin with and the previous world was the work of a tsukuyomi illusion. The two men begin talking to each other.

"Do you think they will be safe?"

"They should be. They say the Rakuzan demons are looking for vessel candidates but don't you think they would look for the demon-slaying blade first?"

"I think so too. I am actually glad that stupid Aoda lost that match to Kiku and so Kaijo now holds the treasure. I've heard from the informant that General Mibu of Rakuzan has been spotted around Kaijo yesterday."

Ah, so that's how it is...

Welp, no explanation of the plot or tutorial but I can already guess what's happening. I did notice while walking around this castle yesterday that there is some sort of metal smithing workshop here. I am guessing that this castle, along with Kaijo is responsible for forging the demon-slaying tool, and said tool is what has been referred as the treasure. It's most likely an extremely rare item that can defeat the Demon Lord. Touo, Shuutoku, and Kaijo are three groups that are allied to fight against the demons.

Does this make the samurai Kiku Ryota the main character of this story then?

... Whatever. Who cares.

Now that the legendary rare weapon that can defeat the big boss has appeared, the demons are desperate to ensure their survival - by making sure that the Demon Lord leaves an offspring and the weapon is destroyed.

I rub my own tummy. I wonder what happened to my... Azure's corpse. It was only a brief moment but there had once been a tiny life created inside me.

God, this time if I ever survive this ordeal I would like to get married, have a safe and healthy pregnancy and safely give birth to my child. I don't need to be the Hokage. I just want a family.

Though...sorry future husband, I might compare you to my first husband. I can't possibly forget my darling, can I?

Three days pass without an incident.

The following night, I am alerted by the sudden smell of blood and the shrill scream outside the room. I have barely taken another breath when I sense a sharp metal aiming at my neck. I roll away from the futon and throw the blanket at the perpetrator.

My eyes widen as I face the surprise intruder. I cannot even be bothered to fix the pink wig slipping off of my head.

A pair of heterochromatic eyes look back at me.

"Hmm...blue certainly fits you better, my lady."

And so does red with you, darling. You look so dashing in that black kimono. That red haori makes it even more perfect. Are those horns sticking out from your head?

Most importantly, that face and voice - he's my darling! My hubby is here too!

Red looks at me with a mysterious smile. He sheaths his sword back to its scabbard. "I intended to cut your limbs one by one if you refuse to disclose your master's location but...now that I've seen you, I changed my mind. You're perfect for me."

What?

My eyes twitch. "No."

He raises an eyebrow. "You think you have a say?"

"It annoys me..."

He stares at me, hand ready to unsheathe his sword again.

"...that I am just a spare. Is any woman fine with you?"

He freezes. "Wait, what?"

I glare at him. "Oh, since the better looking, biggest-chested option is not here, I might as well make do with this one - isn't that what you're thinking? Do you think anyone would like being treated as the second option?"

He looks speechless. After a pregnant pause, he bursts into laughter.

"To think that there would be a day when a young lady is jealous at another woman for me...truly, I have never been so flattered," he smiles. He bows and extends his hand. "I am the one they call the Demon Lord, the master of Rakuzan castle, Akaya Seishiro. May I have the honour of knowing your name?"

Even his name has the character 'red' in it. He's got to be my darling, right?

I ponder for a moment and decide that since the name Kurokono has already been made a spoof by another anime, I might as well give him my real name. "Kuroko Tetsuya. As you can already guess I am not the master of this castle, simply a retainer to divert your attention."

"And you certainly have been successful, Tetsuya. Would you be interested to have me as your Danna?"

I blink. "Does that Danna mean 'master' or 'husband'?"

He looks amused. "Which one do you prefer?"

"I'm surprised you're giving me options, Demon Lord."

"It doesn't matter which choice you make now, because I intend to make you share the same surname as me sooner or later."

I smile. "Let us skip the unnecessary steps and go straight to the latter then."

To Akaya, it may be a miraculous love at first sight. To me, it is a fated reunion. Even if I am reborn to another world, again and again, I will just make him love me again and again.


	11. World 2: Demon Lord and Shinobi Part 3

We left the Touo castle as soon as I discarded the heavy robes and wigs. Akaya does not say it but I know from the way he looks at me he prefers the black kunoichi garment that I wear.

When they were talking about demons and demon lord at first I imagined it would be a monstrously strong samurai. I assumed they were talking about someone with the calibre of Oda Nobunaga.

I didn't think they were talking about a real youkai. Now that we are out of the Touo Castle I can see his horns even more clearly. On top of the roof, a floating palanquin is waiting for us. Akaya hops into the palanquin and reaches his arm out for me.

The palanquin, albeit appearing small from the outside is in fact spacious enough to accommodate both of us inside. Akaya simply instructs it to return to the Rakuzan castle. I'm guessing this palanquin itself is a demon.

"Are those horns real?" I ask out of curiousity on our way there.

Akaya nods. "Unlike the human lores, they aren't the source of our power whatsoever. It is simply an extra appendage and serves no function other than to tell people that we are a different species."

I frown. "Can I touch them? What happens if I cut them off?"

"The horns traditionally can only be touched by a demon's significant other so I do hope you're aware of the promise you'll make if you were to touch them. Not that I'm letting you go, anyway."

".... So they're like private parts. You show your private parts to everyone?"

He quickly turns his head and covers his mouth. I see his shoulders shaking and his ears turn slightly red. He must be muffling his laughter. He is so cute. Both Red and Akaya seem to can't handle my sense of humour.

"Why are you so funny?" He chuckles. "Now I can't go out without feeling bothered about my head anymore."

I shrug. We arrive at the Rakuzan castle. Akaya shamelessly and unhesitatingly introduces me as his woman to the servants, who all look like they have just receive the biggest shock of their lifetime. Can't blame them, he went out with the intention of bringing home a pink princess but comes back with a ninja.

"Her aura is so weak I can barely sense her. Not even low-level youkais have such small presence," one of the servants complains. "Will she be able to bear your child, Milord?"

"Doesn't matter. We'll see when the time comes," Akaya says.

I feel a little guilty. I know from the conversation at Touo that the livelihood of these demons somehow depends on the Demon Lord and his kins, though I have no idea why. But there must be a reason why they are rushing to look for a bride candidate, even willing to resort to kidnapping.

Hmm. Why does the plot sound so familiar? 

A couple of female demons help me to bathe and change my clothes. I don't know if this world and era has a marriage registration form to fill in like the last one but just like the last one, my darling doesn't waste any time at all.

As soon as I change into the white bridal robe and led to the bedroom, Akaya is already in there waiting with the sakazuki cups. 

We only need to exchange a cup of sakazuki for the ceremony but the household decides to hold a small feast following the quick ceremony. I pass out after my third cup.

I have nearly zero recollection of what happened following the feast but the next morning I wake up with a sore waist and an unspeakable pain in that area. This time there is no rose tattoo to verify our status but seeing my bare skin littered with marks and the Demon Lord sleeping soundly next to me, I can guess what occured last night.

I rub my tummy slowly. This time I am determined to keep any life inside me safe no matter what.


	12. World 2: Demon Lord and Shinobi Part 4

We rarely ever go outside but the line of communication and information never stop. We receive the intel that the three Houses - Shuutoku, Touo and Kaijo have finally united and ready to wage war against the demons.

They have the demon-slaying blade and accumulated enough manpower for the fight. It is only a matter of time before they attack.

I haven't heard any news about me. It baffles me that nobody, not even my shinobi comrades are concerned about my wellbeing. Haven't they wonder if I am either deceased, escaped out of cowardice or have betrayed the clan? I know I shouldn't be surprised since to nobles, shinobis are just disposable tools but still...

Akaya knows it is not the time for us to stay idle. The good thing about Rakuzan castle is that the building itself is also made out of demons and is movable. Every once in a while the castle would move to another location.

I am puzzled. He doesn't seem to be eager about fighting against humans. In fact, neither do the other demons. Mibu talks about humans and animals in a rather affectionate way. Exactly what is it that drives the humans and demons to fight?

I learn the reason on the day Mibu comes back with his subordinates to report the situation to Akaya.

"It is getting worse. Yesterday the hoodlums from Kirisaki Daichi kidnapped Lady Masako of Fujiwara clan. Shuutoku sent two onmyouji to wipe them out."

Just like how humans have their own clans and rulers, so do the demons. The Akaya clan has been ruling over the demons for centuries. Their principle is to keep away from humans in order to avoid conflict. However for the last few decades the Kirisaki Daichi House, led by Hanamiyabi clan has been acting unruly. They would make trouble, harass humans and resort to killing human authorities. The humans of course, choose to retaliate to protect themselves. Unfortunately due to the past bad blood and negative preconception of demons, instead of placing the responsibility to the Kirisaki Daichi household they decide to wage war against all the demons, including those who have long isolated themselves from humans.

Now I see why there are still several households like Yosen who are not bothered to make enemies with the demons. They know the truth.

Akaya scowls. "If they are able to get rid of Hanamiyabi's underlings that means low level youkais are not even threat to them. We need to start gathering the little ones and move them away from here."

"But to do that...you'll need to leave the castle."

Akaya turns to look at me. I have never seen him anxious.

Not since during our last life, when the adventurers were getting nearer to our castle.

"The other servants and I can take turns to watch over Lady Tetsuya. She's not that weak either," Mibu says with a wink.

I nod and hold his hand. "I will be fine. Do what you have to do. I'll wait for you."

He looks hesitant but eventually agrees to leave me under the care of the servants.

"Please wait for me, my sweetheart."


	13. World 2: Demon Lord and Shinobi Part 5

It has been three weeks since then. Akaya has not returned home. All I could do is to stay at home while waiting for the news.

Soon it is time for the castle to move again. The castle, however cannot be moved without the order and coordination of its master, Akaya. My heart is overjoyed that he would return soon but at the same time anxious. Staying in the same place longer means higher risk of exposure to the human world.

I hear faint footsteps approaching me from behind as I water the plants. An unfamiliar face comes and kneels before me.

"Greetings, Lady Tetsuya. I am Nezuya. Akaya-sama sent me to fetch for you."

I frown. Akaya never sent anyone other than Mibu, whom I've met, to relay anything to me. However, I have heard of Nezuya's name before.

"Where is Seishiro-sama?"

"... Please follow me."

"Why are you not answering me?"

He grits his teeth. I retract my hand and prepare myself for a fight.

'Nezuya', who may have realised his cover is blown reverts to his original form - a hideous, massive black blob that instantly melts the grass beneath it. I gasp and quickly leap away. I try escaping into the house but the demon releases stinging molten substance that instantly melts the walls and sliding doors.

Physical attacks won't work, I realise as all the knives and shurikens that I threw simply vanish into the slime. Only onmyoujutsu would work against this type of demon - something that doesn't exist in this place, of course. Why would we store a demon's kryptonite in a castle for demons? I cannot possibly lure him inside as he would harm the smaller, weak demons that seek shelter here.

I have to get him outside.

Discarding my heavy outer robe I run as fast as I can towards the gate and sure enough his target is me.

To my horror, the ones waiting outside for me are a group of young men dressed in the traditional monk and onmyouji garbs.

It was a trap.

One of the onmyouji pulls out a sealing paper and calls the monster back. He smirks. "I can't believe it works. Demons really are soft when it comes to their own kinds."

Another one laughs. "This one looks like a human, though. Don't demon lords traditionally take young human girls in to carry their offsprings? Female demons are mostly infertile so they always prefer to use human girls."

"Tsk, poor thing. She looks so small and weak too. Still, we can't let her off, what if she's already pregnant with a demon child?"

One onmyouji steps out. He sneers. On his back is a large sword with intricate carvings on its scabbard. "Only one way to test it out. The demon-slaying blade gifted by the Three Alliance is said to work only on demons. Why don't we test it out on her?"

Cold fear runs through my spine. I take a step back.

The first onmyouji frowns. "We don't know that. What if it still kills her?"

"Does it matter? Just tell them that the girl was killed by demons. Nobody will know."

Without a chance to utter a single word nor to take a step back to escape, I feel the cold blade pierce through my ribs puncturing my lungs.

I feel it. Intense pain. The demon-slaying blade is supposed to work only on demons. Which means...

There is already a demon inside me. My child.

With the last of my strength I throw my knives at them and manage to escape inside. The castle itself is a demon so only demons and authorised humans are able to get in.

I do not make it inside and collapse at the garden. My breaths are heavy. No. Not again. Am I going to die and lose my child, yet again?

Soon I hear screams of the onmyoujis outside. A pair of warm arms then embrace me.

"Tetsuya!"

Good thing demons in this world don't have that shitty tradition of no-kill during pregnancy. It would pain me to see my husband dying for the second time.

I cry. I feel his trembling fingers wiping my tears.

"Seishiro-sama..."

"Tetsuya, don't speak. Mibu is on his way with a doctor."

"Why is it...so hard. All I wanted...was more time...to have a child..."

He is speaking but I cannot hear him anymore. Ah, if only I could get pregnant much earlier. I would cut my own tummy so that my child can survive.

Mother... father.... I do not understand. If it is this painful losing a child that you haven't met yet, why do you leave me alone?


	14. Extra 2: Parents' Meeting

*Akashi Corp HQ*

"Sir, his brain activity has fully stabilised. The ventilator has also been weaned off."

Akashi Masaomi nodded with satisfaction at the progress report. He turned his attention back to the couple sitting before him.

"As you can see Kuroko-san, your son is currently contributing well to the society."

The woman scoffed. "By participating in your illegal experiment?"

"You can lodge a complaint to the cops, to the ministry. I can guarantee you that my operations are all legal."

"You've induced him into a coma without our consent! It's illegal, it's medical malpractice! How much did you pay Midorima Hospital to do this?"

"You should have thought about that before leaving him to live on his own ten years ago."

"How are we supposed to predict that a lunatic businessman would forcibly put our son into a coma for a ridiculous experiment?"

Masaomi narrowed his eyes. "As you can see from the progress report, it isn't. Seijuro has shown positive progress ever since he is connected to Kuroko Tetsuya. Their brainwaves are 99.8% compatible, a rate that has never been shown in any of the previous pairings before this."

"You're crazy, Akashi-sama. What about my son? He has been healing well after the truck accident and now you're putting him into unnecessary, induced coma?"

"... To be more precise, an induced lucid dream. You can be assured that the moment Seijuro wakes up, so will Tetsuya," Masaomi said. He laughed bitterly. "You may call me crazy, but I would stop at nothing for my son. Shouldn't you as parents feel the same way? Isn't that why you're here?"

Mrs Kuroko gaped to retort back but her husband stopped her. "We will end the conversation today. Akashi-sama, things that shouldn't be done have already been done. I request that we receive daily report of our son's condition. Should anything happen to him, I'm not afraid to go against even the government to press charge against you."

"Of course. I like your way of thinking, Kuroko-san."

"... I don't need yours or anyone's approval."


	15. Extra 3: Don't Stay There

Everything is white. I can smell it. The smell of medicine and hospital. I can hear beeping sounds close.

I slowly open my eyes. I see a face I haven't seen for a long time.

"Mother?" I murmur.

I feel cold hands wrapping mine.

"Are you okay, dear?"

It is her voice. Why is she here? Why am I back? What is reality? My head feels so heavy. I can feel a couple of wires taped to my head when I slowly rub my cheeks against the pillow.

"Why....here...?"

"Kagami-kun sent you back to the hospital, Tetsuya. Your stitches reopened when you rolled off the bed and fell. Your ribs..."

Oh. I see. I am still so sleepy and groggy I can barely hear her. But why is she here? Did the heavens listen to my cries and pleas?

"Listen, Tetsuya. You must not be swayed by the dreams. If you stay there..."

Dreams?

My eyes dart to the left. It is blurry, but I see another figure lying in the bed next to me. Even with my half-closed eyes I can vividly make out nostalgic, bright red hair.

"Kuroko-san, visiting time is over."

A deeper voice interrupts my mother. I see a man in black suit gently taking my mother away while a nurse comes with a tray and a needle. Within a couple of minutes my head begins to feel even heavier.

I close my eyes again.


	16. World 3: King of Clichés Part 1

This time when I open my eyes and see yet more unfamiliar faces standing before me, I am more prepared.

Come at me, bro. I already died twice. Lost my child twice too. I'm like a seasoned veteran at this point. I'm ready to take in whatever shithole you're throwing me into.

A middle-aged couple are standing right before me. We seem to be in a modern, luxurious villa, something I have only seen in movies and Korean dramas. The lady grits her teeth at me, picks up the glass of water on the coffee table and splash it on me.

I blink. What.

"You think I'd let my daughter marry a scheming beggar like you? Dream on! Know your place!"

"Mama!" A pink-haired girl that looks awfully a lot like Peach and Satsuya-hime grabs my arm and cries. "Tetsu-kun is not like that! We are truly in love!"

"Wake up, Satsuki! I set you up with heirs of famous corporations but you'd rather be with an orphaned, pathetic kindergarten teacher? You've lost your mind!"

Are we in a soap opera? Of all the tropes out there... Why isn't this a zombie apocalypse or intergalactic warzone? I was even preparing myself for wuxia and xianxia novels. You've blundered, Truck-kun! Nobody from a modern world gets thrown into another modern world!

Unless...

Unless... It's a world of otome game. Shit! What world is this?

"Satsuki, we are thinking about your future. If you're not fond of the Aoki heir, we can try the Midorikawa's..."

Satsuki shakes her head. "You were never thinking about me. You're just thinking about money and power. Don't think I don't know - all the men you try to set me up with are all those who can benefit our family business. The Aoki Firm, Midorikawa Pharmaceuticals, Kiyuu Entertainment... All you think about is money!"

Well, if my daughter is chasing after a minimum wage teacher instead of second or third generation tycoons I would question her life decision a bit too... I know money is not everything, but think about it more, maybe?

In this situation, what should I do? Stay quite or defend our now non-existent love?

The lady glares at me. "Are you happy? You're ruining my daughter's life!"

My brain quickly works to find the best possible neutral answer. "My only wish is for Satsuki-san to be happy."

She beams at me happily. "Tetsu-kun..."

The man sighs and takes of his glasses. "I did not want to do this but... I don't care, Satsuki. You can't marry him. Just not...him."

"Why?" She cries.

The man falls silent for a while before he drops the bomb. "The truth is...the two of you are siblings."

The lady faints and Satsuki wails. I almost choke on my own saliva.

"You're lying!" Satsuki screams.

"Twenty-five years ago, I decided to see my first love for the final time before your mother and I get married. Then nine months later... Tetsuya was born. I didn't want to reveal this secret, as I know it was my own fault. I cheated on my wife...but now I have no choice."

Satsuki falls on her knees and sobs. I have no idea what to do. Do I comfort her or act devastated as well? Anyway this would be a good opportunity to leave while pretending to be shocked.

Luckily unlike the last two worlds, one of the advantages of being in a modern world is having an official documentation and records of your identity. I have my wallet with cash, ID, and bank cards which I am able to use to determine my role here.

Kuroko Tetsuya, 24 soon turning 25 years old. A teacher at Teiko Kindergarten. The ID card has my address so I use it to hail a cab and return home.

On my way home I use my smartphone to check my own social media. Nothing weird there - it shows a completely normal guy who loves his work and his dog. I also have several photos of me together with my girlfriend-now-turned-sister. For now I decide to private my account.

When I return home I see a couple of big burly men waiting at my doorstep. I check my ID again. Am I at the wrong place?

The two men bow. "Young master!"

I blink. Did I mishear that?

"Young master, please come back! Big Sister has been waiting for you to come back!"

Oh, so I have a sister. Okay. These people may look like they are involved in some illegal activities but you cannot judge a book by its cover. Kagami-kun may look like he can devour a bear alive but that big guy is afraid of even chihuahuas.

I follow them to a black car. The window looks like they could be bulletproof. Nothing wrong with that. They drive carefully, abiding all the traffic laws. Good.

We arrive at a traditional mansion. I see my family name plaque. Big Guy #1 opens the door and a row of men in black suits welcome us back. No big deal.

This is definitely not a Yakuza mansion.

A lady in black kimono welcomes me home. All the men greet her.

"Big Sis!"

She is not that old but she definitely looks way too old to be my sister. She sighs and looks at me gently even though her tone is stern.

"Tetsuya, how many times have I reminded you to have more conscience as the heir? How can our Third Young Master act like this?"

Okay, so me...a supposedly normal, orphaned poor teacher is actually a young master of a rich Yakuza family. I am hiding my identity from my acquaintances, including my girlfriend, who turns out to actually be my half sister. How many more clichés are going to appear?

"Come in, Tetsuya. We have a crisis to avert," the lady, whom now I can safely assume is actually my birth mother ushers me in. "You know that the Momoyama family is trying to get into the Akadou family's good grace, don't you?"

Yes, and that the same family head turns out to be my father. What other surprise are you preparing for me?


	17. World 3: King of Clichés Part 2

"As long as I live I would never let Momoyama has his way. My grudge will never be over, not until I see Momoyama crawls and kneels before me for lying and abandoning me!"

Hmm. A very cliché 'ex-lover' line. I wonder if this mother of mine knows I've almost married the child of her enemy and my own half sister.

"Tonight, the Akadou family is going to hold their company anniversary party. The Momoyama couple will try to set their daughter with Akadou-sama's son. Go there and do whatever you can to hinder it."

Will they? I doubt Satsuki will be so heartless to move on so quickly. More importantly is she going to recover from the shock of dating her half brother so soon? If she's there at the party tonight I'm going to run to the rooftop and announce to the world that I'm a furry.

Why is the plot moving so fast? In the first world it took a week before I even reached the Red Blood Castle. I managed to get married and stayed there for more than three months. Now I am seeing at least three soap operas clichés in just one day.

Anyway, I decide to ignore the absurdity of this plotline and change into a waiter's uniform to infiltrate. Don't ask why there's a spare uniform lying in the changing room. This world doesn't make any sense from the very beginning.

The party, as any other rich people's parties, is attended by top socialites, politicians and businessmen. You can say that these parties usually serve as a place for them to build more connections instead of having fun - which is why the delicious food on the table has barely been touched.

I've managed to sneak a few bites of fatty tuna sushi and nobody notices. It could be due to my low presence but I feel like all these rich people are so used to eating expensive food that they don't even bother to look at them. What a waste of all these desserts. As a vanilla enthusiast, it is a shame and an insult if I let these wonderful cupcakes and puddings go to waste.

From afar I see my scumbag biological father, my 'stepmother' (?) and Satsuki. Are we still a couple? We haven't officially broken up. Let's just say I have been promoted to a family member in a different way.

I'm surprised she's already recovered. I better get ready to end my social life. Seeing her talking so animatedly with someone who looks suspiciously like Blue or Aoda from the previous worlds almost make me choke on the muffin. I quickly grab the closest glass of drink next to me.

Hmm? Taste weird. I gulp the drink in one go and begin to feel dizzy. Uh oh.

It's alcohol.

I quickly escape from the banquet hall and run to the bathroom.

Damn it, my vision is getting more blurry. I have to lean against the wall for support.

"Are you okay?"

I hear a voice. A very familiar voice. I shake my head.

"I'm okay. Just a little tipsy."

A chuckle. "Did you drink too much?"

I frown. "Only one glass. It's my first time drinking..."

"I see."

I blink several times and can only see a blurry sillhoutte.

"Do you like tofu?"

".... Excuse me?"

"Your voice. It sounds like my husband. Hehe."

"...."

Did I just giggle? I must be drunk. I feel my pocket, trying to look for my phone.

"I'm sorry, but everything is blurry. Can you help me call for a taxi home?"

I hand him what is supposedly my phone but he grabs my hand instead.

"Are you going home?"

I nod. "I have nothing to do here. Except social suicide. My girlfriend turns out to be my sister. Isn't that funny? We just found out and now she's already looking for her next suitor."

"..."

"Sei- oh sorry. Mr Stranger, aren't you going to release my hand?"

I can't remember anything that happened following that.


	18. World 3: King of Clichés Part 3

I can't remember anything but I do have adequate logical and reasoning ability. If you wake up in a hotel room in nude, with kiss marks and your back feels like it's going to break, you can guess what happened.

This must be a dream. I look for the bathroom to clean myself and wake myself up in case this is really a dream.

This guy shot inside me. Luckily I'm a guy now so at least now I only have to worry about STD instead of STD and pregnancy. Someone who takes advantage of a drunk person and doesn't bother to use protection is the same kind of guy who led to my birth and risk of Alabama wedding. Yeah, I'm talking about you, dad.

I frown as I examine my reflection in the mirror. There is a particularly deep teeth mark on my nape. This guy is a beast. My whole body, including my thighs and underarms has his kiss marks all over.

I finish showering and pick up my scattered clothes. It is so embarrassing to find my underwear three meters away from the bed. My late grandmother was quite conservative and I was originally raised in a conservative environment. It was still fine in the last two worlds because I was a girl and was married to Red and Akaya before we did the deed, but now...

A one night stand with someone I barely know while getting drunk - and he's a guy. My grandmother is definitely rolling in her grave. I don't even know if I want to see what this guy looks like. Should I report him to the police? Or better yet bring him to the Yakuza? But then I'd be smearing mud on my own face for infiltrating the Akadou party only to get smashed.

I'll just take a peek. 

I lift the soft blanket slowly. Red hair. Hmm. By the way, the man my father is trying to match Satsuki with is someone surnamed Akadou right? I wonder if it is a coincidence that this man named Akadou not only looks like my previous husband but also has the character 'red' in his name. Seems like wherever I go there will always be some people who have same faces and similar names, even if their roles and relationships with me are different.

What if this guy is my darling? Is his role and existence solely to take my virginity in every world? Again, what kind of world is this? Why is my role? If this is an otome game...have I ruined the plot?

While I ponder about it Akadou opens his eyes and pulls me back into the bed. He stares at me and smiles.

"Good morning."

"...." Good morning sir. You realise what you did was rape right? I know you might possibly be my sweetheart but taking advantage of someone when they're drunk is just a douche move.

"I can tell yesterday was your first time. Is your body okay?"

".... I'm leaving."

He flips me down and places his arm around me. "Leaving when we've bonded? Isn't that cruel?"

I frown. Bonded? Is he referring to last night's affair? Who was the one who shoveled the ground? You even planted your seed without my permission!

He lifts my shirt and traces his fingers on my flat belly. "Inside here...there might be a life already. Won't you let me be responsible?"

Is he stupid? He knows I'm a guy right? He's seen and definitely has touched my schlong.

He laughs. "You look so confused the more I talk."

"... You are... Akadou-sama?"

He nods. "So you know who I am."

"... I've heard from my... father. He wanted to set you up with my girlfriend - I mean sister."

Akadou raises an eyebrow. Ah, his habit.

"Your girlfriend or your sister?"

"... She used to be my girlfriend. Then I found out she's actually my sister. I came to your party to stop you from meeting her."

"So you can get me for yourself?"

"No."

"... Then, so you can marry your sister?"

Both sound so wrong. 

"Definitely not the latter."

"So it was for me. Congratulations, you caught my heart. We are a pair now," Akadou cheers.

I still don't understand why he keeps talking about pairing now. Anyway, since he doesn't look like he hates me should I pursue him? I was sent here to foil Momoyama's plan anyway...but it doesn't seem right to me.

"... My mother will be worried," is the only thing I could say in the temporary absence of my IQ.

"Of course. How can I let mother-in-law worry? I'll send you home after breakfast and we can discuss the wedding then."

"..."

My husband has become a retard in this world. A retard with no morals. Do I still want to marry him? My Yakuza boss mother is either going to faint or castrate him. He's no longer a demon king or a supreme youkai leader in this world. He's just a normal man whose superpower is being extra rich.

In my mind I try to to form a thousand of possible excuses of why I return home with this guy. More importantly I'm worried about that he would blurt to my mother.

To my astonishment my mother is very welcoming. She even looks happy to see the obvious bite mark on my nape, which Akadou insists to prevent me from covering it.

She pretends to clear her throat and puts up a stern face even though her eyes are failing to conceal her delight. "Yes, of course you have to be responsible now that you've marked my son."

Marked? She talks as if Akadou is a dog marking his territory. What puzzles me is that Akadou doesn't look offended at all.

"Is it legal?" I ask.

My mother frowns. "What?"

"... Same sex marriage?"

Akadou stares at me unblinking while my mother looks at me like I'm stupid.

"You silly boy, have you forgotten that you're an omega? Akadou-sama is an alpha, of course it's totally legal. Otherwise how can both of you be bonded?"

?

Omega? Alpha? What are those?

My heart skips a beat realising I've missed out some vital information pertaining to this world. I excuse myself to the bathroom and frantically look up the unfamiliar terms on the internet with my phone.

Shit. I've messed up.

People in this world are not differentiated by males and females. They are instead classified as alpha, omega, and beta.

An omega, regardless of whether they are men or women are able to give birth. An alpha too, whether they are men or women are able to provide the seeds. Beta males and females meanwhile are similar to the my original world - the females give birth while the males provide the seeds.

According to this website, although generally you cannot tell a person's gender without a proper examination by a professional, a very strong alpha may be able to detect whether a person in close proximity with them is an alpha or omega through their pheromones. The pheromone, though normally undetectable, may be unconsciously released if a person is not in a sober state.

Releasing pheromones at the same time for an alpha and omega pair may increase the possibility of conception. By the way, pairing is a term used when an alpha has marked an omega of his choice by biting the nape and infusing his own pheromone inside. Once marked, the omega may not be separated by the alpha as he or she will experience regular physical needs that can only be satisfied from that alpha.

I have to control myself from smashing my phone and flushing it down the toilet.

Akadou that jerk, I bet he's smirking right now, thinking everything is according to 'keikaku' ('keikaku' means plan).

I have no idea why me, but he clearly went for me last night with full intention of claiming me. Otherwise why would he mark me, slept with me and even left his seeds inside me knowing full well there is a higher chance of conceiving?

Am I going to get pregnant again, for the third time?

FML.


	19. World 3: King of Clichés Part 4

As much as I loathe my fate, seeing the reaction of Momoyama family is absolutely hilarious. Just to spite them my mother actually invited the Momoyama family to my wedding. To make it worse, even though Akadou wanted to get married as soon as possible, he was swamped by work and my mother insisted she would rather delay the wedding in order to have an auspicious date and a proper ceremony. We had to get our certificates first and only have our wedding months after that.

I had wanted to find a hole and bury myself when we first got our marriage registered. His name is Akadou Seijurou and he is 27 years old. I learned my partner's full name and age only after marrying him. What kind of a person am I?

So by the time we exchange our vows, my tummy was already bulging. I'm already six months along. The baby isn't going to pop out anytime but no kimono can hide the obvious sign of the life inside me. My father looks like he wants to curse at us so desperately while Satsuki doesn't even bother to hide her gloom. When we were done exchanging our vows she wails hysterically before fainting and gets dragged out.

Is this how it's going to end? I wasn't expecting the wedding to go through smoothly like this. Considering all the clichés on the first day, I was expecting someone to barge into the hall and object the union. However, this has been the longest period I am able to keep my baby. Previously the zygotes I had did not even develop into embryos before I was killed. Thinking of the possibility of me finally giving birth makes me excited.

Of course it won't be smooth-sailing, who am I kidding?

I meet Madam Momoyama on my way back from the doctor's check up. She looks at me and my bulging tummy with disgust. Without even greeting she pulls out a brown envelope from her purse and toss it at me. I look at her. Bruh, I've already broken up with your daughter. You don't need to pay me. You should have done it when you water-slapped me before. Even if I were not married I still wouldn't try to marry my own half sister.

"Pick it up," she orders.

I blink. "I can't."

The way she glares at me is as if I just insulted her seven generations of ancestors.

"I can't bend down with my tummy like this."

Ha, you should have thought things first before you throw something at a pregnant person to pick up. Otherwise it wouldn't be so awkward for you to have to pick up the things you dropped and then give it to me properly. Inside the envelope is not money. Instead there are several photos of Akadou walking beside and smiling with unknown men. My eyes widen. There it is! The 'cheating-husband' plot! Though it's hard for me to believe that is the case when it comes to Akadou. He has lots of contacts and I can't possibly remember each and every person he mentioned. Moreover the man in the photos look so...plain and invisible. He gives off the same vibe as me.

But hey - isn't that Akadou's type? Someone like me, plain and almost invisible?

"Don't think you're going to have a happy ending after snatching my daughter's future," she sneers. "There's no way someone as dignified as Akadou-sama would be blind enough to keep a rascal like you by his side forever. You're just going to be another plaything."

I put the photos back into the envelope. "Satsuki-san is an alpha, isn't she? She can't give birth to his heir in the first place. Even if it's not me, it won't be her. Or...were you planning to hide her gender and disguise her as beta or omega instead?"

I figured this out after I studied more about this world's gender system. If a male omega and an alpha female get together, the one who will get pregnant will still be the male omega. Female alphas are unable to give birth. Betas may be able to get pregnant if paired with an alpha but the conception rate is much lower than omegas. However, there are cases where alphas get together - especially for political marriages. In those cases, they either adopt children, or get surrogates (some simply keep mistresses) to carry their offsprings. Still, most alphas prefer to have omegas as spouses and this result to alphas from lesser families to disguise their gender.

To put it simply it is a form of marriage fraud. I've always wondered why Satsuki insisted to be with me back then but rejected all her parents' matches for her. She must have felt physiologically repulsed by the other alphas. To put it in simple terms it is kind of like forcing your straight son to lie about his gender and date another guy even though he already has a girlfriend. Based on how Satsuki reacted before it is obvious that she is completely straight and just cannot accept marrying another alpha, even if she can befriend them.

As for me? I don't even know my orientation anymore.

The Momoyama couple must be desperate. Their business is not doing well but the only daughter they have is an alpha, who is ill-matched with other heirs and heiresses who are also alphas. Their only choice (instead of rebuilding their business diligently and honestly) is to lie about their daughter's gender and find a gullible alpha to marry their daughter, then gain financial aid from their in-laws.

Too bad most alphas aren't gullible. Moreover they picked the wrong target - Akadou. There is a reason the Akadou Conglomerate is as big as it is now. After several attempts of getting Akadou to meet their daughter during our engagement period, someone had somehow spread the news about Satsuki's gender and the Momoyama couple's plan for marriage fraud. No prominent family would accept any proposals for matchmaking with the Momoyama.

"What do you want by showing this to me?" I ask.

"To let you know that you won't be in his good grace forever. I've heard a rumour that Akadou-sama used to have a sweetheart whom he still cannot forget. I wonder if the person in that photo is someone he used to know?"

"He's 27. It would be weird if I was his first love. Even I used to date your daughter, remember?" 

Her face reddens. "You - you....!"

I toss the envelope away. "If you have nothing else to say, goodbye."


	20. World 3: King of Clichés Part 5

Contrary to what I said to Madam Momoyama, I am a little worried. Back in the two previous worlds Akaya and Red were quite clingy to me. In the first world we spent almost everyday, all day together. Red taught me archery, horse-riding, and all sorts of things to keep me from getting bored. The demon lord Akaya kept me company with his tales of the youkai world all day. This guy however....

I guess employment really changes everything. The first two were...well, self-employed. This one...well, he is the CEO but his father, the chairman still keeps an eye on him. He goes out to work early in the morning and return home late at night. It doesn't help that pregnancy makes me tired so I always end up going to bed early and waking up late. We only see each other on weekends - just to fulfill each other's physical needs and he'd soon get called to the company again.

He's not finding entertainment outside, is he?

...

... ...

If he is, I am going to bust his nuts and turn him into a eunuch.

That jerkass went all the way to mark me on our first meeting and now he's ignoring me. I hope you're ready for hell.

That night instead of sleeping I turn on my favourite basketball games on my laptop, determined to stay up until he returns home.

....

3 AM and that *bleep* isn't home yet. Has he forgotten the way home?

This can't go on. I change into my oversized sweater and drag my 7-month pregnant body out. The two of us live in Akadou's luxurious apartment, with no live-in servants as both of us like our privacy. We only have a housekeeper who comes in daily to clean and cook (my cooking skill is limited to making rice, instant ramen and boiled eggs). At night there is nobody to keep an eye on me, so he can't blame me for going out, can he?

No taxi, bus or train will be running at this time and it is way too far to walk to the company. I grit my teeth and decide to take the car. It's okay, I can just drive slowly. I haven't drove for a few months now since Akadou usually sends his secretary If I need someone to drive me but it should be okay. As I turn on the engine I begin to have a mental breakdown.

I feel so abandoned. Now I realise how lonely I've been for the last few months. I had to go to all those check ups and prenatal classes alone. In this world Akadou had approached me first, yet he leaves me as soon as I'm in his grip. Did I marry the wrong guy? Maybe he isn't actually my darling from the past world?

Wiping my tears I step on the accelerator anyway. I'm going to confront him. I don't care. We need to talk. If he can't be with me because of work, I'll go to him.

The traffic is light at this time so I steadily press on the pedal.

The light turns red. I frown. The car isn't slowing. Hold on.

Shit. The brake isn't working!

My face pales. Why? Don't tell me...

Seriously, another shitty cliché scene?! At this time? Hasn't anyone told the creator of this world that messing with someone's brake is so overused?!

Am I going to die, lose my baby, or lose my memory? Which route am I going for? What am I going to hit? If I hit a truck, is it going to be double transmigration?

I pull the handbrake slowly and turn the steering wheel in an attempt to minimise the collision impact and prevent the car from turning. Luckily there are not many vehicles on the road at this time but I cannot possibly rely on luck for the car to stop. The car drifts to an underground parking lot and I purposely collide my car on the passenger side against the wall. The doors are going to be scratched like crazy but at least I'm not going to die. As the car slow down I take off my seatbelt and move further from the steering wheel. The airbag pops our as the car finally crashes the wall - not fast enough to kill but not slow enough for zero damage.

I wipe my sweat off. Crisis averted. Well, not completely. My life is safe but the car is completely ruined. Someone purposely tampered with my car. Who in the world...

Shivers run down my spine as I hear approaching footsteps. My eyes widen as I see two men coming towards me, one holding a baseball bat and the other a metal pipe.

I recognize their faces. In the first world, they were the ones who stabbed Red.

"He's still alive, Hanamiya. He's a smart one."

"... Finish him, Haizaki. Can't leave the job undone if we want to get paid."

The last thing I hear before it gets dark is the sound of shattering glass.


	21. World 3: King of Clichés Part 6

Akadou yawned. He almost didn't realize it was already 3 AM. Tetsuya is going to be mad, he thought.

Life has never been easy for the Akadou heir. As the heir of a conglomerate and an outstanding alpha, he has always been expected to be the top of his class in everything. Life can be so mundane when you're good at everything. Nothing seemed to be able to pique his interest. Proposals from omegas and betas of prominent families kept coming but none ever interest him. Some alphas even try to disguise as omegas to seduce him. Funny how alphas, who are supposedly the more superior gender can be so desperate.

He always felt like there was someone waiting for him. Then that someone finally appeared before his eyes. 

It was strange. It was his first time meeting that man but he felt like he had known that person before.

He did not hesitate for a second before he brought that person to his room and marked him. He even made love with him knowing that there is a high chance of conceiving. This person amused him with his unique way of thinking. How could one look so expressionless yet able to display his emotion boldly at the same time?

He married that person right away. His mother-in-law insisted on holding a proper celebration but he had no time. They registered their marriage as soon as Tetsuya found out he was pregnant and held the ceremony when his bride could no longer fit into the prepared tuxedo and had to switch to a loose kimono.

His plan to get him was perfect. Life after that however, was nothing but perfect.

Akadou Seijuro had too many enemies. Kuroko's maternal family too, had plenty.

Since he had chosen an omega from a yakuza family instead of going along with his father's choices of omega brides recommended by their business partners, he had to suffer the consequences. There were now more work to be done as he had lost several people who would stop at nothing to curry favour with him. Some investors questioned his decision-making ability seeing that he had chosen a bride from an unruly family with a terrible background. For several months the company had to go through inspections and audits from authorities knowing that he now has ties with yakuzas.

People around him who had always hated him now had an excuse to openly sully his reputation. The gossips were never-ending.

'That Akadou Seijuro? I knew it - all those money must have come from dealing with yakuza. Why else would he marry one? Scoundrels like him who use dirty tricks to get ahead deserve no respect.'

Of course Tetsuya knew nothing about this. He would never let Tetsuya regret his decision to stay with him. He did not want Tetsuya to feel an ounce of guilt because ultimately, he was the one who forced his wife to marry him. Some of his friends stuck with him, fortunately. Luckily he still had people who could use their brains like Midorikawa, people who knew better than to listen to gossips like Murasaki and Aoki, as well as stupidly loyal people like Kiyuu.

"Akadoucchi, do you know that President Momoyama tried to set me up with his daughter again?"

"The big-boob one? Why don't you go for it, Kiyuu?"

"No way, you go ahead if you want to Aokicchi! She doesn't even like me! She looks at me like I'm a flea!"

"Well, she sure has good eyes."

"Aokicchi!!"

"You're talking about Momoyama Satsuki? Isn't she an alpha? Why would they try to pair her up with you? You're an alpha too."

"Wait, Midorikawacchi, she's an alpha? Why did her mom say she's a beta?"  
"Momoyama Satsuki goes to our hospital for her yearly medical examination. I know for certain that she's an alpha. I remember she once said was dating an omega, and took suppressants for alphas regularly while dating to prevent her rut."  
"Shit... I almost got scammed!"  
The very next day the news about Momoyama Satsuki being an alpha and the Momoyama family planning to commit marriage fraud began to circulate. Akadou suspected it was thanks to a certain Blondie's loose mouth.  
President Momoyama however, seemed to think it was his fault. Later on he began to sense people following him to take photos of him. The housekeeper he hired reported often seeing people watching his house from afar.  
How he wished he could go home and protect his wife, but police and lawyers kept coming and told him they received several reports of tax evasions and embezzling. Even the cops themselves knew something was wrong there but they could not trace where the anonymous reports came from, and they still have the responsibility to check every single report.  
Just a few more months, he told himself. A few more months to settle everything, take down his petty business competitors and he can finally find some time to spend with his wife. Tetsuya was seven months pregnant and he had failed to accompany her to a single doctor's visit.  
Even Midorikawa had given him the look and sent some links to studies on the importance of spousal support during pregnancies.  
At 3.45 AM, he received a call from the hospital.  
His wife was in the emergency room. He was found in a crashed car, with bleeding head and signs of assault.  
By the time he arrived the hospital, Tetsuya was gone.  
Akadou had never felt so lost.  
Their baby was safe, albeit prematurely born and in an incubator. The ER nurse, while trying to hold her tears reported that Tetsuya, in a half-coherent mumble begged the doctors to cut open his belly and save the baby, before his body fails to supply more oxygen.  
They were left with no choice and decided that saving one was better than none.  
They had operated without his consent but at this point Akadou was in no mind to sue anyone. All in his heart was regret and anguish.  
The CCTV recording and the car GPS had shown Tetsuya going out to look for him. Police found evidence of the car brake tampered. As if that wasn't enough, he survived the car crash but was beaten half-dead later. It was clearly a premeditated murder.  
Why do you always go before me? Akadou lamented. Even before this...  
Before this?  
Akadou trembled. Faint memories began resurging in his mind. Bit by bit he began to recall a bloody torso trying to reach out for his hand. He also remembered the red-stained kimono he held before he went berserk and killed those onmyouji.  
The adventurers. Onmyouji.  
Azure. Tetsuya.  
Akadou felt hot tears finally spilling out of his eyes. How could he have forgotten? Twice...no, three times Tetsuya was gone because of him. Only this time, Tetsuya's wish was finally fulfilled. Their baby was born.  
Akadou clenched his fist. Wait for me, Tetsuya. In the next world, I'm definitely going to find you and give us a happy ending.


	22. Extra 4: Mr. Administrator

*Akashi Corp HQ*

"Sir! Sir! It's up!!"

Akashi Masaomi put down his reading glasses. "The update?"

"All vital signs are now stable! He woke up for a second just now! His GCS was 5!"

Masaomi's eyes widened. "He woke up?"

The assistant nodded cheerfully. "He did, he opened his eyes and made eye contact with the doctor. Oh well, now he's asleep again, but...his signs are stable! He woke up, even for a few minutes!"

Masaomi felt joy. Finally, after two whole painful months. He had almost lost hope, until that miracle boy appeared and perfectly synchronised with his son's brainwaves.

"How did this happen? What's different this time?" He asks.

"Probably the baby," a new voice emerged.

Masaomi found his prized developer standing at the door with his tablet. "Mayuzumi."

"Mayuzumi-san!" The assistant uttered. "What do you mean by the baby?"

"I've got new codes coming in. All the characters that appear are supposed to be formed by the users' brain, right? They can only be existing people in either Kuroko Tetsuya's or Akashi Seijuro's memories. But now an entity that never exists before appears - a newborn baby," Mayuzumi explained. "In the previous dreamscapes the baby was never born. This time the baby has been successfully born - though unfortunately, only your son gets to see it."

The assistant grinned. "Then, the moment both of them are able to see the baby..."

Mayuzumi nodded. "The moment both of them are able to see the entity that originally should not exist in that dimension, that's when both of them will wake up."

Masaomi smiled. "Is it possible to finally send prompts and tasks to the players now?"

"It should be. This time, we'll be able to send messages without interrupting the brainwaves."

"Great," Masaomi said and took out a case. Seven thumbdrives were neatly arranged inside it. "Which one should we pick this time?"

Mayuzumi examined the thumbdrives one by one. All of them contained the data for the newly developed games by Akashi Corporation. It was initially an ambitious project designed by the father-and-son duo, as a tribute to Akashi Shiori, who had proposed all the themes and character designs.

She had made everything based on fond memories of her family - including her parents, her husband, her beloved son, and even his son's playmates. It was the main reason the company was willing to invest billions of dollars for the game.

Unfortunately Shiori passed away before the completion of the game. Seijuro decided to take over the project but now...he had fallen to this state.

'Five Kingdoms Fantasy', an MMORPG set in a fantasy world where players can choose their own characters as swordsman, healer, magician, brawler, tamer, or merchant. This was Masaomi's favourite, as he believed an online game with a massive server would be able to generate more users and thus more profit.

'Night of Thousand Demons', a solo RPG where players must play the role of an onmyouji to defeat various demons was Seijuro's favourite. He loved classical Japanese tales and wanted something with samurai, ninja, and Japanese myths as the setting.

'My Overbearing President Boyfriend' is a dating sim created by Mayuzumi for fun. In order to cater the rotten girls and boys he even added the ABO universe to allow boys to get married in the game. He included all sorts of morning soap operas stereotypes to fulfill the lonely housewives' imagination.

He picked up 'Vampire King', Shiori's favourite. This one should be okay. If Kuroko becomes a vampire it would be harder for him to die.

"This one. Let's enter this game this time and hope that our miracle boy will be able to clear it beautifully," he says.

The assistant nodded and proceeded to head out back to the hospital.

Mayuzumi left the president's office humming nonchalantly.

He forgot that the hero of the game is a human who is escaping from the vampires and that poor Kuroko Tetsuya may end up as one of the mob characters sacrificed to the vampires.


	23. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 1

I swear to lord, if this time I open my eyes and I have to face another soap opera...

To my surprise, this time lying before my eyes are a bunch of elementary school children. I sit up. Above me is a wooden ceiling with bits of growing mold. Beneath me is a sturdy wooden floor, covered by an old, worn out quilt.

I shiver. Judging from how cold it is, it must be either late autumn or early winter. It seems like these kids and I are all bundled up together for warmth in this old house. I may have to get ready for a hard life this time, looking at the old furniture and thin quilt. We don't even have a mattress, let alone beds. I begin exploring the house.

There is an old fireplace right next to the small dining table with six chairs. I glance back at the kids. Five children, six including myself. There are no adults around, no master bedroom, nothing that indicates an adult lives here. Orphans, most likely.

In fact, the small house itself consists of only a sleeping area, a large old closet that stores some clothes and mats, a small kitchen, and a dining area that doubles as a living area as well. There is no bathroom, although I do see a wooden tub at the backyard.

What era is this? I can't find a mirror so there is no way of knowing what I look like but looking at my small and short limbs, it is clear that I am no older than twelve, even if I'm malnourished.

The children here too appear to be between five to twelve years old. Isn't that too young to be left living on their own? What era is this? I pray that this is not the medieval era or worse, the times of bubonic plague. I'm not ready for this.

At least give us some magic if you're going to make me stay in this era. How am I supposed to survive?

Just as I lament on my fate, a holographic screen appears before me. I almost jump.

[Hello.]

I blink. It this a dream? After three freaking tragedies? You're giving me a tutorial now? Am I finally getting the spotlight and becoming the main character?

[Welcome to 'Vampire King'].

Vampire... King?

Vampire?

Oh no.

[Mission: Create a vaccine to fight against the vampires and save the world.]

I feel excited. Finally, after two worlds of playing the NPCs and one world of shitty soap opera in which I have no idea what role I was playing, I finally get to be the hero! I knew it, this is the right destination that Truck-kun is supposed to send me to!

"Tetsuya?"

I blink. The holographic screen disappears. One of the children has waken up and is rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing there instead of sleeping?"

Hold on. Ogiwara-kun?

That face...he looks a lot younger than I remember but that boy is unmistakably my lost childhood friend.

Ogiwara sits down next to me while rubbing his cold hands. "Are you still worried about the food supply? Don't worry, Riko and I are going to get some food tomorrow! Old Teppei said we can take some of his potatoes and grains if we help plow the land."

... I still remember the fact that you stabbed me in the back, Ogiwara-kun. Nevermind. I am a generous man. What happened in other word stays in that other world.

I nod at him. Riko? Teppei? That can't be the names of my coach and basketball captain right? They are not dead yet, what are they doing here?

I remember hearing my mother's voice telling me something. I have a feeling it's important. Does it have something to do with people I know who are still alive appearing here? Are all these people...actually here? But my Ogiwara-kun is already dead.

Ogiwara sighs. "We are lucky to have an adult like Old Teppei around. I heard in the West Gate, the adults have given up their children to the vampires as livestock in exchange for food. Isn't that disgusting?"

Hold on. Livestock? So we are the cows to the vampires? People give up children for food? How horrible is this world?

Ogiwara clenches his fists. "One day, I'm definitely going to kill those blood-sucking bastards. I'll protect our family!"

Hey, that sounds like a protagonist's line. Looks like even in this world I'm still the side character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, another rip-off of other anime.  
Currently listening to IZ*ONE's Vampire :3 as I write.


	24. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 2

After a small breakfast of dried bread and plain celery soup this morning Riko and Ogiwara head out to Old Teppei's farm. I told the three kids to stay at home and do the laundry while I go out to explore the town.

This world is ruled by the vampires. I see humans wearing torn and tattered clothes all doing hard labours or lying half-dead on the streets. There are vampires, easily identifiable by their red eyes, slightly pointed ears and clean white military uniforms with black cloaks. The sunlight doesn't seem to affect them at all but I notice they do not have shadows.

I wonder if garlic, crosses, or silver bullets would work.

I see one of the half-dead men lying listlessly against the wall. His face is pale and his left arm has a small bruise. I remember having the same small bruise the day after taking off the IV drip.

My mind recalls Ogiwara's words about vampires taking in people as livestock.

Oh. So instead of sucking the humans directly to death they decide to take small amounts from a lot of people everyday through transfusion. That's smart, kind of like milking the cow and eating the chicken eggs instead of slaughtering them for meat.

That also means they totally look down on us like we are livestock. While a normal shounen protagonist should be offended and develop a fiery ambition to fight back, I am the opposite of unnecessary passion. Sure, I hate losing but I think dying without accomplishing anything is the ultimate loss and humiliation. Nowadays it's no longer the age of the brawls but the era of the brains.

"Hello, cutie."

I turn around and see a very familiar face. If it isn't Yellow, the fool. We meet again, huh. He's wearing a white uniform like the other vampires, though judging from how others bow to him with respect, he must be a high ranking one. They even call him Duke Kise, so I guess that's what his name is in this world.

"Hello," I reply back.

He looks surprised. Is it because I did not spit at him like what a protagonist should do?

"I see you're not with your grumpy guard dog today," he says.

So we are familiar with each other. That grumpy guard dog must be our protagonist.

"He's out looking for food. Hard times now," I shrug.

Kise nods. "Hmm, explains why you're all so thin. The blood hasn't been delicious too."

"If you wanted high grade beef, you should've fed them with high grade fodder. Isn't that common sense?"

Kise looks even more amused. "What am I going to do if you fight back then, cutie?"

"Humans against vampires?"

"Well, isn't that what's happening outside the wall?"

... I see. So there is a human civilization actively fighting against vampires outside this town. As usual, this guy has a loose mouth. Maybe I can use him.

"What can a bunch of kids do?" I point out. "Isn't that what's happening elsewhere? I heard some people give out their children in exchange for better food."

Kise smirks. "And you call yourselves the civilised creatures huh? I don't see any dogs selling their pups for biscuits."

True. Humans are vile. But hey...

I stare at him, putting my most innocent face on. "Selling others does make me sick. But still, people have to eat so...how about selling oneself?"

The handsome vampire freezes. He looks at me with gaping mouth.

I pout. "I've been really, really hungry these days. Won't you please grant me a favour?"

Shit, I feel like a prostitute. I hope he can't see me hiding my disgust.

That night I return home with a basket full of fresh fruits, a bag of flour, and a slab of dried meat. Kise sends me home in his car with a pale face, like he had just committed a crime.

Calm down, boy. Well, it is partly your fault for directly sucking my blood from my shoulder. I thought you were going to get my blood through transfusion. It wasn't my fault that I couldn't withstand the pain and accidentally let out a moan, causing you to feel like you just violated a minor.

I might still tease you and call you a pedophile next time, though. I didn't think a blood-sucking vampire like you would have a human's moral values, considering you treat us like cows. Anyway, it was kind of fun to see your horrified face once you realise you just undressed a twelve-year-old kid and sank your teeth into his bare skin.

Though it seems like the guilt isn't enough for Kise to refuse me when I ask to come again to his big mansion. My theory was right - the vampires have their own hierarchy too. Normal vampires live in their military flats and since their source of energy comes from humans blood, their fridge is only filled with blood packets. Upper class vampires like Kise however keeps fresh food ingredients either for their human servants or for themselves to sometimes indulge in human cuisine. I've heard from Kise that another vampire noble, Murasakibara in particular enjoys human confectionaries more than blood.

That's the good thing about Kise. He talks too much so in just one day I was able to obtain plenty information from him with just a little coaxing.

There is a human civilization out of this district. I suspect the only reason the vampires haven't been able to expand their territory is because humans outside have means to counter them.

If I could bring the hero, Ogiwara, out to the human civilization then we might be able to find more clues about the vaccine. I did think about researching it myself but in most cases without the protagonist making an unusual, accidental, miraculous discovery the plot would not progress. I may be a novice in RPGs but I have enough knowledge from light novels.

Of course, to escape this place I need a map and a weapon to fend off pursuers - which is why I'm going to dig it out of Kise tomorrow.


	25. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 3

Four days later, I find out why Kise always has to sneak me in and acts like a criminal whenever he sucks my blood.

It is illegal. Seriously, it is - according to the vampires, not humans.

The rule was made by the Vampire King, who dictated that all vampires may only obtain human blood through transfusion in order to allow constant supply of blood. They are not allowed to take them directly as there is a risk of the vampire losing control and sucking the humans dry.

Apparently drinking it directly makes the blood tastier and can give a sensation of ecstasy, which is why Kise still lets me in despite knowing he could get punished.

Riko seems to notice that I have been doing something dangerous but decides to say nothing. She accepts the grains and vegetables I bring home without questions. Ogiwara of course is a different story. I give out different lies everytime he asks me.

Got it from Stingy Hyuuga.

Stole it from Mitobe while he was sleeping.

The food fell from the sky.

He doesn't believe in any of them but I am way too good at hiding and sneaking out for him to tail me. Of course, secrets can't be kept forever. Eventually he sees me coming out from Kise's car. Of course he blows up.

"Don't tell me all this time - what did you have to do for all those vegetables?" Ogiwara confronts me.

I make a mistake of rubbing my shoulder and his sharp eyes instantly sees the fangs mark on my pale skin. His face turns red with anger. He rolls his sleeves.

"I'm gonna-"

I pull him back to stop him. "What are you going to do? You're weak."

He bites his lower lip. I sigh. 

"Don't worry. It's not in vain. There is hope for us," I tell him, and take out a rolled parchment paper and a small leather pouch.

He stares at them. "What are these?"

I smile. "Map, to the outside world and an anti-vampire weapon. Stole it from Kise's house."

Ogiwara's eyes brighten. That night we begin to discuss our plan. There is no way we can march there in a large group undetected, so Riko makes a quick copy of the map and sends two of our youngest brothers to our neighbour Hyuuga along with the map. Four of us - Ogiwara, Riko, a younger brother, and I will make the first escape tonight while the rest of our siblings along with Hyuuga will continue to secretly distribute the map.

By then security would be tighter but with the current economical situation, I know for a certain that the buildings in our district will not change. The map contains all the roads in the city that leads to the outside world so I believe the people here can figure out other escape routes sooner or later.

Even if they don't...well, I do feel guilty but as long as Ogiwara can escape safely, only then we'd have hopes of ending this miserable lifestyle.

Although vampires here can withstand heat and sunlight, they are still more active at night. Therefore, majority of humans avoid going out at night. It may sound ridiculous for us to set out at night but on the contrary, because the vampires know humans can't see well in the dark, security is more lax at night. Nighttime is also when the vampires feed, so there are less of them wandering outside. Ironic, isn't it?

Using the map, we manage to slip through unguarded back streets and small roads undetected. I can't help but feel anxious. Escaping can't be this easy. If it was this easy people would have escaped from this place long ago. Sure, we encounter a couple of vampires but only from afar, where we still have nooks and crannies to hide from them. The only thing that stun me is that there are actually other monsters here in this world, that look like gigantic disfigured animals. The monsters live away from the human settlements and the vampires stationed at each district are not only there to monitor the humans, but also to keep the monsters away from us, as these monsters also prey on humans. Fortunately the monsters are dormant at night so we can avoid any risky encounter easily.

We arrive at an old church, which supposedly is connected to the outside world. I did doubt the validity of the map at first but this church indeed is located at the very end of the town, nearing the tall erected wall that separates the district from the outside world.

Riko sees the church too and fails to hide her excitement. We tiptoe slowly and open the church door. The interior is just as dilapidated as the exterior. According to the map there should be a secret tunnel hidden behind the altar. I push Ogiwara to check out the tunnel.

Only after he already steps out, do I sense the presence of other beings in the building. It happens in a flash. I see a shadow moving towards Ogiwara and quickly jump out to intersect it.

I hear Riko screams out my name. There is an intense pain on my left leg and my ribs. The pain is so immense that I couldn't help letting out a scream.

"Tetsuya!!!" 

I cough up blood and turn my head around. Sure enough, I see Kise and the perpetrator who broke my leg - Aoda. In this world, I believe he is called Aomine. 

"Sneaky little bastards aren't you all," Aomine snickers. "Too gullible, Kise. If it wasn't for me looking for the map you won't even notice it was gone. How did this pathetic small thing seduce you?"

Kise pouts. "You don't understand! Kurokocchi is super duper cute!"

Aomine snorts. "You mean he is super duper delicious. Don't think we don't know what you've been doing, Kise. Akashi is furious."

Kise pales. "You reported me to Akashicchi? Aominecchi you traitor!"

Aomine shrugs. "Your misfortune is my joy. I hope he slices off your head for real this time."

I hear Riko crying my name. Her cries only last for a moment. My breath halts as her limp body drops before my eyes, followed by our younger brother. Damn it, haven't you ever read 'The Guide to a Perfect Villain 101'? You're supposed to have a long monologue before you even act. I was intending to use that as a distraction and escape, but now I can't even lift an inch of my legs.

"Aominecchi, you killed them?"

"Aah? Didn't the King himself said lawbreakers must be punished? This one too...oh, get that one, Akashi. The one hiding behind the altar."

I gasp. No, I can't let them get Ogiwara. Using the last of my strength I take out the gun that I've hid in my shirt and shoot the two approaching vampires. The bullets hit Aomine's hand and Kise's calf.

"Run, Ogiwara-kun!!" I yell.

"But Tetsuya-"

"Just go, you idiot!!"

He bites his lip and leaves. Kise tries to grab his shoulder but is repelled by an invisible force. There must be a barrier to ward off vampires from the secret tunnel. Kise hisses as his fingers are burned from touching the barrier. Not to mention his calf is injured. Too bad I didn't have a better aim. Looks like I'm doomed here. I feel awful, being eliminated right when I finally get in a world where I get to receive a proper mission.

I don't even get to see my darling's incarnation here.

Aomine glances at me. "Not bad, kid. Too bad your aim is off. Vampires can regenerate easily so unless you blow our heads off-"

Before he could finish the sentence, his head rolls off from his neck. I hear Kise gasps. The blonde vampire kneels down and cowers in fear.

"Your non-existent brain is still intact, but it should still take it few days for you to heal after I cut off your worthless neck."

I tremble. I recognise that voice.

Aomine grits his teeth, his hands frantically searching for his head but the newly appearing vampire simply kicks his body farther away.

All fully-fledged vampires have red eyes. However, this one has golden eyes. He doesn't have his usual heterochromia, I notice, although his face and voice are completely the same as my darling.

Kise sweats. "A-Akashicchi..."

"I do remember that lawbreakers are to be punished, but I don't remember giving you two the authority to do that."

Kise whimpers while Aomine lets out a grunt. Akashi kneels on one foot next to me. He runs his fingers gently across my cold cheeks.

You're still so handsome, darling. Too bad our very short reunion is going to end here.

"This one is pretty strong. He's still alive - doesn't even cry when you break his legs," he smirks. "Even now, he is..."

He pauses and looks at me intently. "Do you want to live?"

I blink. Do I want to live? Of course I do, but I'd also like to end my suffering at the same time. Maybe if you kiss my injury the pain will fly away.

"Answer me."

"... Yes."

Akashi clenches his fist. His sharp nails penetrates his skin. Drops of blood run from his palm and into my gaping mouth.

It tastes horrible. Like iron. Like normal blood. I was expecting vampires to have unique tasting blood, but it tasted just like blood.

"Don't regret."

... Darling, I've met you three times in three different worlds and I've never regretted even one encounter.


	26. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 4

The next time I open my eyes, I am already in Akashi's palace. That's right, palace. He's a king after all. The room I am in is just as big as Kise's room, and this is just the guest room. Only the king of the vampires would be able to live lavishly like this. There are seven noble vampires ruling over seven districts. The noble vampires are ranked according to their power and the strongest one reigns above all of the vampires.

For more than fifty years, Akashi has been the King. He is almost a hundred years old now but has stopped aging when he was eighteen. Most vampires stop aging once they become fully fledged - by drinking a set amount of human blood. Therefore plenty of vampires actually restrain themselves from drinking too much early on, in order to reach their desired appearance. 

Most of the time the vampires choose to stop aging at twenty to thirty years old in order to achieve a fully mature physique, though the confident ones like Kise and Akashi simply aim for a body with limbs long enough to not be disadvantageous during fights.

So what am I doing here?

You guess it right - I am now a vampire. You know it's going to happen - this plot is basically a rip-off of a famous anime. The writer and developer of this world must have been too lazy to figure out a new plot. I wish they could have picked a more peaceful world than this apocalyptic universe. There are so many vampire stories out there. I would have preferred to be a pureblood vampire who erased his younger sister's nature and memory, then silently protects her as a senpai - that is so cool. I don't even mind being in that high school vampire story with a werewolf guy who loves to flash and flex his abs. We can later have a kinkier version of that story. There are already people with so many shades of hair colour here.

Anyway, now that I'm a vampire does that mean I'm also going to be eliminated once the protagonist completes the vaccine? How does one create a vaccine against vampires anyway? Is vampirism a disease? How many humans are turned into vampires each year that we need vaccines against it? Isn't it more logical to create toxic drugs that only work against vampires?

I suddenly recall the existence of that holographic message the other day. I wonder if I can open the screen again.

Umm...open menu? Oh hey, it works! The screen really does appear if I wish for it. Why haven't I thought of this before?

[Hello. Creators, whatever your name is.]

[... Kuroko?]

[Yes, me.]

[... Kuroko Tetsuya? How do you know how to access the communication system?]

[... When you sent me the message last time, there was a keyboard with a 'MAIN MENU' button and an option to contact the developers for feedback.]

[....]

?

[You are the first person among our beta-testers who figure out how to contact the system administrators. Most people get panicked or delved too deep into the game to even think about contacting the developers.]

[Beta tester? So this is a game? No wonder I was in the hospital. What kind of illegal experiments were you people doing? Is my head still intact?]

[Hey hey, our research is completely legal. We've got your parents' consent, tee hee.]

Bullshit.

[How did I get in here?]

[Blame your friend, Kagami. When you got into an accident he signed off the consent form to participate in our trial instead of another form. Didn't you wake up halfway? We realised that you weren't one of the volunteers and pulled you off the system. But then we found that your brain is 99.8% synchronised with our...test subject, so the next time you were sent to the hospital we had you participate again with your parents' permission.]

I have some doubts but never mind.

[Anyway, you are correct. This is a game, a newly developed virtual reality designed to bring users to a dream world of their choice. Our characters are made using the memory of the players to make it more realistic. Isn't it genius?]

[But I don't know who those rainbow troops are.]

[You mean Kise and the others? They are regular NPCs who will appear in every world, as they are part of the original designer's creation.]

[What were my missions in the previous worlds?]

[Missions? You were not the main character. Missions are only given to players and players can only be the main characters. You were the NPC.]

NPC. Is that why I died so tragically in all three worlds? NPCs deserve happiness too, you know.

[I get it. In the first world the players become adventurers. In the second world players become the onmyoujis. Who was the main character in your shitty soap opera?]

[Shitty? You - ] 

[I got bashed in the head to death. Answer me.]

[... Players will be assigned the role of Momoyama Satsuki or a male version of her, Momoyama Satoru - depending on player's choice.]

What?!

[It's a dating sim. You were one of the hidden capture targets for the forbidden love route. Who knew you'd end up snatching one of the main targets and even managed to smear dirt on her name that she lost chance to win any of the targets. That's why the system automatically tries to bring the world back to its original plot by eliminating you.]

So I'm the side quest. Why didn't they eliminate Akadou? If the thing that happened to me in that world happens to a girl in real life he'd go straight to the prison. Who finds that stuff romantic? What's with this treatment?

[... So the vaccine creation is not my mission but Ogiwara-kun's mission. Why did I receive the prompt? Why am I an NPC?]

[Originally all players who log in can only play the hero but... there was an anomaly during our beta testing. One of our subjects was assigned the role of a villain, also an NPC, and was unable to log out. Out of all our 200 beta-testers, you are the only one aside from that person who is able to access into the game as an NPC.]

So that's what he was referring to when he mentioned brain synchronization earlier. I wonder who the poor soul is. Kise, maybe? Kise looks like he's stupid enough to forget that he's in a game.

[Right now all of our players have logged out, except you and him. He went into a coma and barely had any brain activities for two months - until you came.]

So you're telling me this game can lead to coma? And you put me into this without my permission?

[Now listen, creating the vaccine is the hero's mission, but saving the last player is Kuroko Tetsuya's personal mission. I'll tell you in advance, you're going to have enough money to buy a hundred Ringo-chan figurines after this.]

[I prefer vanilla milkshakes, but fine. What do I have to do to save him?]

[Create something that doesn't exist without distorting the plot too much.]

[What? How?]

[You've done it before. You gave birth, creating a character that should not exist. Didn't you notice how you keep dying whenever you get pregnant? Yeah, that's the plot trying to fix itself. So this time try to give birth safely. A vampire shouldn't die as easily as a human.]

....

[Mr. Administrator.]

[What?]

[I'm a male. The ABO system doesn't apply here, does it?]

[... It doesn't. Oh shit. I forgot.]

[You FORGOT? You sure forgot about a lot of things. Are you sure you aren't just lazy?]

[... I'll try and add a special feature to allow pregnancy?]

[You created a shitty world with shitty storyline and a shitload of plotholes. How are you still alive and not in the prison?]

[Shut up. You said 'shit' say too much.]

[No, you shut up. Eat shit.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who the admin who replied to Kuroko is :3


	27. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 5

Four years had passed since he first remembered who he really was. No, he was not the Red King. Even if a hundred years worth of memory was there inside his brain, he felt nothing. Those fake memories implanted in this body that does not exist in reality could not be compared to the short few months he experienced in his faint, distant memory.

He knew for a certain that the identities he assumed were fake as well. However, he knew that his feelings, at least, was never fake. The adoration and fondness he felt could not possibly be replicated by any data.

He had no idea if Tetsuya remembered him. What he knew was that he would always be fated to see him again. When he saw Tetsuya's thin, limp body on the ground that day he immediately lost his temper.

He had wanted to kick Aomine in the face for a long time anyway.

His Tetsuya was still the same. Fragile but strong. Thin, weak and pale, but beautiful in his own way. Still blunt, honest, and so charming. He had a weak presence almost akin to a phantom but he shone brighter than anyone else in Akashi's eyes.

Midorima told him he was blinded by love - to have an affection to an unremarkable human. He agreed, but he did not care. He knew he would have the last laugh.

Tetsuya proved himself to be capable of not just being on par with the other vampires, but also with the purebred, noble vampires. Vampires that were created from humans normally were weaker than purebred vampires, which was why they could only serve the nobles. Tetsuya was different. Of course he could not compare to someone like Aomine, but he was smart - something that unfortunately Aomine was not. Midorima, maybe - but he would turn into a useless scrap once he lost his lucky item.

He was fast, flexible, he could read people, and he knew how to make use of his low presence well. Many times Akashi had seen the young new vampire amused himself by sneaking behind Kise and Aomine, poking their backs, and scaring them. There were also many times he would hide behind Murasakibara's back to escape from Midorima's wrath after stealing his lucky items and neither the green-haired vampire nor the giant vampire would realize it. That ability was very useful for sneak attacks, especially against sense-heightened monsters.

All five of the noble vampires agreed that Kuroko Tetsuya was an enigma. His family was killed right in front of his eyes but he seemed hardly affected by their deaths. He blended right in the vampire community and did not seem to hate them at all, unlike other humans. It was almost as if he never held any attachment towards the humans.

Whatever order Akashi gave him - whether it was to eradicate other man-eating monsters, capture rogue vampires, or to escort prisoners, he did them all perfectly. Midorima worried that it may be an act to gain the vampires' trust before ultimately stabbing their backs but Akashi had another idea.

Kuroko Tetsuya was definitely attracted to him.

When he expressed this notion to the other vampires, Aomine pretended to vomit while Kise persistently objected with the argument that if Tetsuya were to fall in love with a vampire, it would be him. Whenever Akashi recalled that Kise had once tasted Tetsuya's blood, skin-to-skin contact, he always felt the urge the choke the blonde to death.

In this lifetime, he would definitely not let his partner go. Not before him.

***

"You called, Akashi-sama?" 

I kneel before him - as every other subjects of his does. It grinds my gears a bit but nevermind.

Four years, and I still haven't been able to do anything to him or with him. It is so frustrating, since it used to take only four minutes for him to fall for me in the past.

Maybe he's not my darling. Maybe he's just another jerkass. But I've met the four rainbow rangers and not only they have the same name and face, they act the same as well.

So why aren't you attacking me, hubby? You drugged me, you kidnapped me, you tricked me into marriage before. You did so many horrible things to get me, you kept me in your castle and you didn't let me out. Now you're treating me like a decent man - you send me out to missions, pay my wage, and you didn't touch me unnecessarily.

Where is the vampire romance I was expecting? Gone with the administrator's brain? I can't give birth, is that why you're not interested in me?

... So ultimately you're just a straight guy, huh. I'm the one who got bent forcefully. You look at me with hungry eyes but you don't even try to touch me. Do I need to attack you first?

I did not realize I was licking my lips until I see Akashi suddenly laughs.

Oops.

"Hungry, Tetsuya?" He asks.

"Thirsty," I reply.

Aomine and Kise, who are kneeling to my right and left side choke. Even these idiots understand my connotations so why are you not affected, Akashi Seijuro?!

"I'll give you another blood vial before you go. The anti-vampire troops have started moving. The three of you are to observe the Blue and Yellow districts, and report to me their numbers, weapons, and high-ranking officers," he orders. "Tetsuya, go get ready. Kise and Aomine, stay here."

***

Kise and Aomine looked at each other quietly as they rode the car. Aomine's subordinate, Sakurai was driving them to the location today. Kuroko sat at the passenger side, occasionally confirming with Sakurai that they were going to the right direction.

"Psst. Aominecchi."

"What? Stop whispering, it's disgusting."

"You think Akashicchi is delusional?"

"Of course he is. 'Listen to Tetsuya, he's thirsty for me....' hah! That guy is the one thirsty for Tetsu. He's been looking at Tetsu like he's a nice glass of sweet blood for years."

Kise nodded. "Right, there's no way my Kurokocchi is that dirty-minded! Especially not towards Akashicchi."

... Aomine actually could not be sure about that. Noble vampires are able to turn humans into vampires by providing their blood to the humans. Murasakibara had turned plenty of patissiers into his personal chefs while other noble vampires like him and Kise did the same to ensure that they have only loyal subordinates, as vampires who received their first blood from a noble cannot defy that particular noble. However, as far as Aomine knew Akashi had not done that since...forever. Kuroko was the first.

Akashi must be insane, they just killed the boy's family right before his eyes - was what he thought at first.

He was wrong. Kuroko was the crazy one. The boy acted as if he was never human in the first place. His ability aside, he never seemed to have empathy for the humans - or the vampires. When Aomine asked if he ever bore any grudge on them, he simply shrugged.

How heartless can one be? No matter how much Midorima and Akashi annoyed him he'd be mad at someone who attacked them. Kuroko was...weird. Sometimes he even thought the boy was scarier than their king.

Of course, he had no idea that to Kuroko, who was now aware that he was living in a game world, all the people he encountered were simply a bunch of data. He couldn't care less about a bunch of codes.

***

I look to see if anyone is around. Kise and Aomine are both in the car taking naps while Sakurai is dozing on the grass. We have all arrived at the assigned location and currently taking a rest before dispersing and checking the parameter.

I sit behind a tree and open the menu bar to contact the administrator.

[Mr. Administrator.]

[Shut up.]

[Tell me, how am I supposed to have a baby when we haven't even hold hands?]

[You've been asking the same question for four hours straight! You don't think us developers need to take a shit?]

[Your brain is made of shit. It's been four years. By the time I return to the real world I'll be wasted and full of bedsores.]

[You peabrain, time works differently in the games. You ever wonder why people play The Sims? Because they can go from shitty latrine cleaner to world famous surgeon in half a day. It's only been four hours here.]

[... Why is when I left the game for the first time it's only been one night in that world?]

[You always go back to your save point, duh. Don't you know?]

[... I've been wondering, exactly who is the guy who got trapped in this game? You never told me. When I asked, you went to take a dump, like you're not full of shit already.]

[Think about it yourself.]

[.... I'd ask them myself but you said if I tell a game character that they're not real, they'd break down and turn into a virus. I have suspicions though.]

[Oh, who?]

[The rainbow troops, of course. They appear in every world I've been too. Now that I think properly about this, Akashi is the most suspicious one.]

[... Why?]

[He is the most out of character one. He doesn't act like an NPC.]

"Kurokocchi?"

I quickly exit the conversation and close the screen. Kise comes and sits next to me. He suddenly whiffs at my neck and licks his lips.

"You always smell good, Kurokocchi. I still remember what your blood taste like," he says.

He dares say that only because Akashi is not here. Is he not ashamed fantasizing a minor? Wait, this guy is shameless. Both he and Aomine are shameless actually. The only difference is Kise doesn't care about gender while Aomine won't even glance at anyone below a C-cup.

Kise sees the blood vials in my hands that I took out earlier while resting. He frowns. "You're still drinking only Akashicchi's blood?"

Of course. Blood is gross. How can I bear drinking a human's blood? I can't even tolerate blood sausage and black pudding. But to a vampire hunger is worst than death. I have drank Akashi's blood before and so I won't drink anymore than necessary.

"You know you won't stop aging unless you drink human blood, right? Don't you want to stay longer?"

Who wants to stay longer here? I want to escape from this vampire apocalypse as soon as possible and drink my milkshakes.

"I only need Akashi-sama," I say.

Kise chokes. He looks pale. What's wrong with him.

"Kurokocchi you know...your devotion is not normal. Vampires...they can't defy the nobles but they don't usually have that kind of feeling..."

"Feeling?"

"You know...desires for..."

I blink. "You mean vampires don't have lust? Do they not fall in love and marry?"

Why is it that the more I talk the more Kise looks like he's going to die? Most importantly, do vampires not have sexual desires? Is that why Akashi hasn't done anything to me? Is his bird just for decoration?

"Do vampires not have romantic feelings? No lust? How do they reproduce?" I ask again.

Kise wipes his cold sweat. "Kurokocchi... Do you have anyone you like?"

Hmm? Why is he asking me this? Is this pervert interested in me? I can't have him pestering me more than this.

"I like Akashi-sama," I tell him.

Kise coughs. "... Like? In what way?"

I wonder if vampires do not reproduce the same way humans do? Are they like bats? Wait, are bats mammals? Or do vampires lay eggs? Does Kise not know how reproduction work?

"Umm...like as in... I want to hold his hands, then hug him, and kiss him," I admit shyly.

Kise doesn't speak. Does he find those actions weird? Well, animals don't really hold hands and kiss. How should I explain it to him?

"Kise-kun, have you ever seen cats in heat? I would like to-"

"STOPPP!!!! Don't say anything more, Kurokocchi!!" He wails and covers my mouth with his hand.

His face is red. So explaining it in animal terms do work. "Do you know how I can mate with him, Kise-kun?"

Kise's lips tremble and he runs away from me. Perhaps I am being too direct?


	28. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 6

Kise paced back and forth, annoying the other four noble vampires. Eventually Midorima lost his patience and broke the pen in his hand into two.

"Your report has mistakes everywhere, Kise! And why did you write Kuroko's name five hundred times here like a spell? It's sickening!"

Akashi sighed as he looked at the scribbled sheets Aomine called a report. "And you Aomine, you can't even write a proper report. Good thing Tetsuya had the insight and wrote proper reports in your place."

Aomine snickered. "Tetsu's good at it anyway, why should I bother doing it?"

"Even the lazy Murasakibara knows how to submit a report. This is why we haven't been able to advance in our territory, you two fools," Midorima scowled. "And stop whining, Kise! You didn't even do your job properly."

"But Midorimacchi, we have a bigger problem! Kurokocchi has been corrupted!" Kise cried.

Aomine sneered. "Just because the little guy is finally going through puberty doesn't mean he's corrupted. That means he's growing up normally. He's what, sixteen? Boys during that time already start jerking off."

Akashi froze. "Tetsuya did what?"

Aomine shrugged. "Kise said he jerked off to mating cats."

Midorima coughed. "Wait, what?"

"He did not!" Kise angrily denied. "I said Kurokocchi was...urm, he saw cats in heat and said...uhh...he wanted to do those kind of things!! How can a person be stimulated by that? It must be your work, Aominecchi!!"

"Aah? I did nothing! Isn't it you who always shamelessly flirt with Tetsu?"

Akashi took a deep breath. With just a glare he managed to silence the two bickering vampires. Kise gulped.

"Enlighten me, Kise. What exactly did Kuroko told you?"

Kise began having cold sweats. "Uhh... Well, I can't remember how the conversation started but...uh, basically he asked me how vampires reproduce."

....

Midorima frowned. "Isn't that just normal curiousity? We don't marry and since our lifespan is much longer than a human, we don't have a need to reproduce like them. We just convert more humans into vampires if we need numbers. Perhaps he is curious since he has never seen a young vampire."

Kise looked down. "It wouldn't be an issue if that's the case..."

"Then? If not just tell him normally. Vampires reproduce by either the normal way to obtain a purebred or by converting humans to vampires. Done," Midorima said.

Murasakibara opened a new bag of chips. "Kurochin doesn't have parents. Maybe he's curious about the 'normal' way?"

Akashi drummed his fingers on the table. In that case, shouldn't he be the one to educate Kuroko properly?

Kise saw Akashi's smile and began to form some plans in his head. He needed to protect Kuroko's purity!

Murasakibara observed the blonde and the redhead silently. He knew for certain that Akachin and Kurochin liked each other but he didn't know why neither of them would start courting the other. Murasakibara guessed that maybe Akachin was hesitant because Kurochin was too young, but to him Kurochin didn't seem like he was going to get any bigger. Don't humans start mating when they are around Kurochin's age anyway?

... Maybe he could use 'that' to help Akachin. Then Akachin would be pleased, and wouldn't send him off to tiring missions anymore.

Meanwhile the vampire in question himself had no idea what the others were scheming behind him. Kuroko, after finishing his report decided to collect more information to see if the vampires in this world really do not have any form of reproduction at all.

He lived among many attractive vampires and none of them seem to be married. Kuroko began to worry. What if vampires in this world reproduce like a paramecium? Then how could he and Akashi have a baby? The damn administrator was giving him an impossible mission.

He went around, asking the commoner vampires if any of them were married. They all laughed at him.

"Silly, why would we need to follow human tradition? Even humans themselves don't all get married."

Kuroko paled. Do vampires not mate then?

... Slowly and hesitantly, he asked, "How are babies made then?"

The older vampires made a choking sound.

"That is...uh...are we allowed to tell you that?"

Kuroko blinked. "Why?"

The vampires looked at each other. Why, he asked? Their king obviously won't be happy! Only a blind person wouldn't notice their king's affection towards the boy. However, none of them had the guts to report to Akashi that his favourite vampire was going around asking others about the birds and the bees.

"One of the seven nobles should know," finally one of the vampires decided to take the safe route. "Why don't you ask them?"

Kuroko frowned. When he asked Kise the other day the blonde didn't want to answer him. Kuroko pondered. There were three possibilities.

One, Kise was an innocent idiot, despite his appearance. Two, he was infatuated with Kuroko and therefore didn't want Kuroko to even develop a desire for a partner. Three, Kise was actually a player like him and therefore had no idea about the vampires mechanism for reproduction.

Kuroko did think about it a lot. At first, he suspected that the other player was Akashi. In the last two worlds his hubby had clearly deviated from the plot by marrying him instead of the real female leads. But in the first world Akashi insisted on marrying Azure, even though he revealed that he was not the real Azure. Wasn't that the plot's setting? The Demon King must marry the princess in order for the heroes to have motives to attack the demons.

... Thinking about it made his head hurt. Either way, he didn't care who the other player was. Even if Kise or someone else was the other player, he would only marry his darling. Loyalty was Kuroko's strong point. Wasn't that the initial reason he was here, to look for his childhood friend?

Yes, said childhood friend who had backstabbed him, and in this world left him alone. Well, he was the one who told Ogiwara to leave...

He wondered how Ogiwara was doing.

Kuroko borrowed a car from Sakurai, and secretly returned to the Blue District. Last time he and Kise went there the anti-vampire squads were still scouring the place in secret. Now it looked like they had already set their base camps.

Kuroko discarded his military jacket and cloak, leaving himself in plain black shirt. He easily blended in among the humans, who were all lining up to get some food rations from the squad members. The vampires in charge of the human livestock were gone, presumably eliminated by the squad already.

Halfway through the line Kuroko realised he wasn't wearing the standard prisoner uniform. He thanked heavens for his low presence and slipped out of the line. The buildings were all dilapidated already so Kuroko looked for a river, where he knew the humans would take their baths.

He took off his shirt and began looking for any prisoner uniform left by the humans. Just as he saw a couple of uniforms left hanging on a branch to dry, he was startled by a female's voice.

"Hey you!"

He almost jumped. He turned around and saw a couple of anti-vampire squad members.

The two teens observed the teal-haired boy in front of them. He was very pale, and quite thin. They looked at his eyes. They were blue. The two teens felt relief. This boy must be another poor human prisoner, they thought.

"Have you eaten?" They asked.

Kuroko pondered. He shook his head.

"Why are you alone here? It's dangerous. Do you have any friends or family?"

Kuroko shook his head.

"Were you separated from them? We can bring you to the headquarter and help you look for them-"

"They're dead. Killed by vampires," Kuroko replied.

The two squad members looked at him with sympathy. They had no idea they were talking to the vampire king's favourite. Kuroko's eyes retained their original colour because he had never drank human blood and wasn't a fully fledged vampire.

"Oh, but I do have one brother left," Kuroko said. "His name is Ogiwara. Ogiwara Shigehiro-kun."

The two teens were surprised. "You're Shigehiro-kun's family member?"

Kuroko nodded. "Is he doing well?"

"Of course! Shigehiro-kun has been a great help. He... He helped protect us before. If it wasn't for Shigehiro-kun, the humanity would've been done for."

Kuroko fell silent for a moment. "He's only sixteen. Is he really that great?"

"Of course, thanks to Shigehiro-kun rescuing Professor Nijimura, the vaccine against vampires can be developed."

So that's how it works, Kuroko thought. Ultimately to create the vaccine, their real mission was to protect the scientist responsible for developing the vaccine. Kuroko still had no idea how the vaccine could help to fight against-

Reproduction.

Ask the noble vampires about reproduction.

The light bulb inside his head lit up. Finally it all made sense. Noble vampires were able to create more vampires. The vampires did not marry. They increased their numbers by creating more vampires from converting humans to their own. If their means of creating more vampires are stopped, eventually the vampires would soon perish and lose the war.

Kuroko felt he had just accomplish 60% of the mission just by connecting the dots. Heh, not too bad, Mr. Administrator. 

But it also meant his mission of baby-making just became more difficult. Anyway, now he could confirm that Ogiwara was doing well and the mission was progressing, he could return back and do his own personal mission.

"Ooiii!!" Another voice came to greet them from afar.

Kuroko instantly recognized that voice. The two teens turned around to look for the owner of the voice and he used the chance to flee.

Ogiwara came bearing a couple of sandwiches in his hands. "What are you two doing? The food's gonna be gone!"

"Shigehiro-kun, your family is here!"

Ogiy frowned. "What are you talking about? Nobody's here."

"Eh?" The two turned around and true enough, there was nobody standing there. "But...there was a boy here. He was thin and pale, with teal hair and eyes..."

Ogiwara's face turned grim. "You're talking about Tetsuya. That's impossible. I saw Tetsuya die right in front of my eyes four years ago. The vampires broke his bones, his legs, right before me."

The two teens looked at each other and their faces became as white as sheet. "Then...the one we've been talking too just now..."

When Kuroko returned to his car he heard from afar three voices screaming 'GHOST!!!'

Hmm. Those voices sounded familiar.


	29. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Slight NSFW
> 
> Just a little, since I'm not good at writing this kind of scene O///O

By the time I return to the palace, it is already nightime. To my surprise Akashi is waiting in my room. He does not look happy at all. I gulp. Have I done something wrong?

"Akashi-sama?"

He looks at me sharply. "Where have you been to, Tetsuya?"

I gasp. He's using his vampire influence and pressure on me, not allowing me to lie or to keep silent. Dear lord. Why is he infuriated?

"... I went to the Blue District," I am forced to answer.

"For what?"

I want to escape, but feel my blood boiling. It must be Akashi's blood in me preventing me from disobeying him. "... To look for Ogiwara-kun. To see if he's doing well."

Akashi's face instantly changes from extreme displeasure to blatant fury. He pulls my hand and throws me to the bed. I gasp as he towers over me, entraps me in his arms, then uses one hand to grab my collar.

"I've been hearing stories about how you've been curious about...mating rituals. Is it because of him?"

"... No," I let out a short reply in between strained inhalations.

He smiled, menacingly. With one swift movement he tears my clothes open. "Why don't I enlighten you?"

It happens so fast. One moment I am still stunned, frightened by his abrupt change in demeanor. The usually calm Akashi rips off my clothes without hesitation, stripping me down to nothing before kissing me ferociously. He stops only when both of us need to catch our breaths.

Even then, he doesn't stop his ministrations and continue to place his nimble fingers on every surface of my body, including the unspeakable places. He stops for a second to take off his own clothes and at that moment, I discover that his tool isn't just for decoration.

....

....

I know this is supposed to be a tragic scene. Akashi is being rough. He doesn't stop even when I ask him to have mercy on me.

But...what am I supposed to do when I feel pleasured by this? Have I turned into an M? Or is it my own frustrations from years of abstinence? Darn you administrator, for making me a twelve-year-old kid at the beginning.

.... What is the legal age here anyway?

***

I didn't wake up until it is already noon, the following day. I already feel dreadful. Mainly because I can imagine Aomine's lecherous face. Akashi's already gone to receive the daily report and the weekly meeting, and they would all wonder why I'm not there. No doubt that guy is going to boast about his achievements.

Even though vampires are supposed to possess high regenerative and healing ability, it isn't enough for me to recover from Akashi's sudden attack last night. My waist still hurts and my chrysanthemum feels like it's been ripped apart, I can hardly sit down. My skin is littered with kiss marks. There are at least two on my neck that are impossible to hide even with my uniform. It's blatantly clear that Akashi intends to show what he did to me to the whole world.

Still as jealous and possessive, huh. If I had known this I would have pretended to flirt with Kise before. Still, what should I do now? Even if we do it ten times a day, we won't get anything besides pleasure.

More importantly, not only this Akashi is rougher, he's insatiable. My darling in previous worlds has always exercised moderation. There are times when we get into it too much, but...

This guy is a literal monster. I've never been eaten to the point of unconsciousness, and even unable to sit down. I better get some result before my body gets completely destroyed.

[Mr Administrator? Emergency!]

[Yo, Kuroko. What's up?]

[Is the pregnancy feature complete yet?]

[I'm putting in the code. It should be activated soon.]

[....@#£_&-+(*!?!!!]

[... What?]

[You better hurry up or else I'm going to die.]

[What's happening over there? What did you do?]

[Why did I do? I'm the one who got done! Why is my darling so rough here? I can't guarantee I'm going to survive the next session!]

[... Your darling... Akashi Seijuro? Well, he's always been kind of a psychopath. Relax, I've put in the codes. The next time you guys do it, you're gonna be pregnant. Make sure he got inside-]

[I'm sure at this point I've got more experience than you.]

[... F U, Kuroko.]

[Shut up. Eat shit.]

I close the conversation and exit the menu. I endure the pain and take a shower, but decide to not clean up my insides to keep Akashi's seeds inside me. I don't know how the pregnancy feature is installed but for now...let's keep them inside.

After I get dressed, Murasakibara, to my surprise, comes in. The purple-haired vampire and I rarely have any business together. He gives me a glass bottle containing a shady-looking liquid inside.

"Kurochin, you didn't come to the meeting so I had to come here to see you," he grumbles. "Take this every night."

"What is this?" I ask.

"Medicine," he replies. "Kisechin said you want to know more about vampire reproduction. I stole this from his collection. Once you drink this you'll know."

Hmm? Could this be the pregnancy feature that Mr. Administrator installed? Can I get pregnant after consuming this? Without questioning further I follow his instructions and immediately gulp the whole bottle down.

Murasakibara stares at me silently then murmurs, "Good luck, Kurochin. If it's too hard you can go to Midochin for help. He's well-versed in medicine."

?? Wasn't the thing you gave me medicine?

I regret consuming things I don't know.

Akashi doesn't call for me so I decide to do reports in my room - lying down on tummy because my rear hurts. The pain goes away by dinnertime but a new problem starts here.

I am hungry, and there is no blood stocked in the fridge. If I need food, I have to go see Akashi and I am too embarrassed to do that.

Not to mention, my body feels weird. I feel hot and...well, weird. I've heard that leaving 'that' inside your body disturbs your digestive system. I thought since this body is a vampire's I wouldn't experience it but... Can it be that I feel sick because of that?

While I debate whether to look for Akashi or not, the devil himself shows up at my room. He looks quite upset.

"Tetsuya," he calls my name, slowly closing the door. I notice he locks it too. Bastard. "Are you angry at me?"

I shake my head. How can I? Well, maybe a bit.

"Why do you look upset?"

".... My stomach hurts."

He stares at me. I know what he's thinking. A vampire with upset stomach is unheard of, unless they're someone like Murasakibara who ingests human food regularly.

"Did you eat something?" He asks, comes closer to me and rubs my tummy in circles. His face suddenly scrunches up like he just smelled something funny.

Oh dear, did I let out a fart? I don't think so. But if you're my darling, you should think that even my fart is cute.

"Nothing... Murasakibara-kun gave me some medicine but that's it," I confess.

Akashi eyes the bottle on the bedside table. He frowns.

"That's not really a medicine."

??

He picks up the bottle, uncaps it, and smells it. "It's motherwort. Humans use it for fertility and menses problem, I think."

??? Is this the pregnancy function that you're talking about, Mr Administrator? By sending your NPC to give me herbal supplements? I thought you were stupid, but now calling you a retard is an insult to mentally retarded people!

He places his cold hand on my cheek. "Do you want me to help you?"

"Help?"

He nods, his arm slowly snaking around my waist, pulling me closer to him. Oh no. Is this going to be a repetition of last night? My heart is ready but my body is not.

"Your body feels weird, doesn't it?"

....

He chuckles. "It's kind of like an open secret, but motherwort has an aphrodisiac effect on vampires."

.....!!!!!

I look downwards. Sure enough, it is my heart that's actually not ready. My body is more than eager to accept his advance.

We tangle in the sheets, again, for lord knows how many hours. This time again, I beg for his mercy to stop. My poor body can't take it. I wonder why. None of my previous darlings were this energetic. Fortunately this time he listens to me and stops, and I manage to retain my consciousness even though my brain has turned into a mush.

He even wipes me after we were done. How sweet. Still embarrassing, though.

"Tetsuya," he says softly. "I want to be with you."

Am I not already with you, darling?

"Not just a master-subordinate relationship. I want your heart," he says and kisses my hand. "What do you think?"

I blush. "You already know the answer, Akashi-sama. Haven't you heard it from Kise-kun?"

"Kise has a brain of a goldfish," He says and pinches my nose slightly. "Tell me, Tetsuya. Word by word."

The effect of the aphrodisiac should have worn off already and yet my cheeks are warm.

"I like Akashi-sama," I repeat the words I said to Kise. "I want to hold his hands, hug him, and kiss him."

Akashi smiles. I have never seen him this happy. I can't help myself from smiling as well. He caresses my cheeks.

"I wonder how the cats in heat come into the conversation?" He asks.

... Cats in heat? What is he talking about?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a mutual confession :3


	30. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 8

~3 months later~

I hear the sound of the door slam. Akashi comes in with a solemn expression. He helps me get up and puts an oversized sweater over me. I blink at him sleepily from the confusion. Ever since our mutual confession that night, nothing much has changed between us - except that I have now moved into Akashi's master bedroom and sleep in his king-sized bed. I still go out on missions, submit reports - he doesn't play favourites.

Kise cried when he found out we started dating. Apparently he had already devised so many plans - if you can call them plans - to keep me away from Akashi, such as sending over female vampires to Akashi; create a scandal between himself and me; and to drug Akashi so that he'll be impotent. The other three nobles do not look surprised at all. In fact Aomine had teased Akashi, saying he did not expect it'd take this long for Akashi to lay his hands for me. Midorima stated that our private lives had nothing to do with him while Murasakibara demanded me to thank him by writing his reports for a month.

Our life has been without conflicts for the past three months. Until today, that is. Akashi was out for a meeting with the noble vampires and didn't return, until it is past our bedtime. It is the first time since we've been together that he returns late, and the first time I'm seeing such a grim face.

"Tetsuya, follow the coordinates that I give you and stay there until I come. This is an order," he says.

I nod, still half-asleep. Akashi hesitates for a while before pulling me in for a kiss. He drops kisses on my face, my neck, then my shoulder. He stops when he realize he won't be able to contain his desire if he goes any further. He doesn't allow me to bring any weapon, aside from a small dagger hidden in my pants pocket. I don't even have the chance to change into my uniform - he sends me out straight in my pajamas.

"Don't deviate from the route I give you. Sakurai will drive you there," he instructs me.

I wonder why he seems particularly anxious tonight. Sakurai and I follow his direction anyway and drive to the designated spot. It is an abandoned church. Sakurai offers to take the first guard while I continue to sleep inside. I lay on the old bench and cover myself with a thick blanket.

However, the next time I open my eyes, to my horror, I hear the sound of metals clashing. Before I can even move, the church door breaks open and three anti-vampire squad members show up. I remember their faces. Ogiwara and the two whom I spoke to before. Ogiwara looks like he had just seen a ghost. To him, I am probably a ghost.

"Tetsuya?" His voice trembles.

Why is Ogiwara here? What about Sakurai? He was guarding the door....don't tell me...

The two teens approach me slowly and observe me. They cautiously touch my shoulder, as if to confirm that I am real. One of them then pulls out a communicator.

"Tsuda here, we found a human boy, around 15-16 years old in the church. Teal hair, teal eyes, very pale and thin..." 

Ogiwara comes and touches me, pinching my pale cheeks hard. He looks like he's about to burst into tears. "You're alive, Tetsuya," he sobs. "Why didn't you come to us, you jerk! All these years I thought-"

"... Why are you here, Ogiwara-kun?" I ask.

"The anti-vampire vaccine is complete," Ogiwara says. "Tonight, we are going to save all the humans and purge all the vampires. It's a large scale war, Tetsuya."

I feel my heart stop for a moment.

Akashi sent me out to hide me, to prevent me from joining the battle.

I quickly push Ogiwara away and head to the door.

"Oii, Tetsuya! Stop! It's dangerous out there!" Ogiwara warns me.

I stop and turn to look at him. I smile bitterly.

"Why are you always late, Ogiwara-kun?"

"Huh?"

"From the last life to this life, you are always late. They say the heroes always come late, but... what am I going to do, when my heart already belongs to that person."

Ogiwara scowls. "What are you talking about, Tetsuya?"

"I'm no longer a human, Ogiwara-kun. Haven't you wondered why I'm still alive?"

The three teens froze. Ogiwara gasps. "You mean..."

I nod. "Akashi-sama turned me into a vampire four years ago."

"But...your eyes..."

"I've never drank human blood, that's how I retain my appearance," I say.

They look stunned. A vampire abstaining from human blood is unheard of.

"I'm sorry Ogiwara-kun, but I must go."

Ogiwara stares at me blankly. "Where?"

"To Akashi-sama."

Tsuda places his hand on Ogiwara's shoulder. "Shigehiro-kun...once a human is turned into a vampire, they are not allowed to disobey their master. The guy in front of you is no longer your friend. He's now a puppet of the vampire king, with your friend's face and memory. He's no longer on our side."

Ogiwara trembles with anger. "You're telling me to kill my friend?"

The other squad member too places his hand on Ogiwara's back. "I'm sure he too, does not desire to live as a puppet."

I stare at the two with deadpan eyes. What the hell. Who gives you two the right to infer my feelings? Stop sugarcoating the fact that you just told my childhood friend to murder me with pretty, shounen-manga-like words! I never said I want to die, did I? I said I want to leave!

Ogiwara takes a deep breath and unsheathes his sword. "Fine. I'll fulfill your wish, Tetsuya."

...!!!!! Are you dumb?!! I still want to live! Leave me alone!

I run away as fast as I can but the three teens chase me in a pace just as fast. Normal humans can't possibly compete with a vampire's enhanced speed but the three of them are well-trained soldiers. It takes quite some time plus my natural skill and low presence to lose them. However, I still have a big problem. As the master, Akashi can find me but I can't find him. Since he went all the way to send me out, surely he would avoid me.

Are they planning to fight against humans? Since the vaccine is completed, no doubt this will be the final arc of this world's plot. The vampires are going to lose. I can still survive under the pretext of being forcibly transformed into a vampire, but Akashi and the other nobles won't be forgiven. Ogiwara surely won't forgive Aomine and Kise for causing his family's deaths.

For three days I move from places to places secretly, hiding from both vampires and humans alike. Luckily not only my presence is low in the beginning, I am not a fully-fledged vampire so I easily blend in with the other humans. But three days is the longest I can go without food. 

***

When Ogiwara Shigehiro was five, his biological parents died of starvation. A kind old woman helped bury his parents, and brought him home. She had few other children there - all orphans. They were poor, but they never had a hungry day. There, he met Tetsuya and Riko. The kind old woman continued to bring home more abandoned children, who lost their parents, with nowhere to go. Their district was under the control of a blonde vampire, and any children roaming the streets would be caught and never returned. When he, Tetsuya, and Riko turned ten, the old lady passed away, leaving three ten-year-olds, two seven-year-olds, and a three-year-old toddler. They depended on the kindness of their neighbours to give them small chores to do in exchange for food.

When he was twelve, Tetsuya brought back a map and a gun. He had no idea how many times Tetsuya had to sell his own blood for that but he was determined to not let Tetsuya's sacrifice go to waste. In the end, they were naïve. He alone survived, while Tetsuya, who worked hard planning for their escape died. Or so he thought. He worked hard for the past four years, training and saving people in order to redeem himself.

He didn't think he'd see Tetsuya again - but the boy had been turned into a vampire. Three days had passed since he saw Tetsuya. He wondered what Tetsuya was doing. He could easily replenish himself with energy bars but what about Tetsuya?

Then he went into an abandoned grocery store looking for food, and that was when Ogiwara saw the familiar figure lying lifelessly on the floor.

"Tetsuya!"

The boy was breathing very slowly. Ogiwara thought his friend, who always had porcelain white skin couldn't look paler, but now he looked too pale to be alive. He didn't think he'd find his childhood friend here in such a worrying state.

"Tetsuya...can it be that you're hungry?"

Kuroko opened his eyes. When he saw that it was not the person he was waiting for, he closed his eyes again.

"Tetsuya..."

Ogiwara bit his lower lip. He took out his sword and made a cut on his left arm. "Tetsuya...drink."

".... No."

Ogiwara clenched his fist. "Tetsuya... I don't care even if you become a full vampire. To me, you're still family."

Kuroko blinked. Did he hear it right? Ogiwara just declared that he didn't care who he was. Even though in the first world, he had stabbed Kuroko as soon as he found out Azure was carrying the Demon King's baby.

'You must not be swayed by the dreams, Tetsuya'. Kuroko recalled hearing his mother's voice.

Kuroko blinked. Of course. How could he forget? In the midst of the war, with his exhaustion and jumbled mind, he almost forgot. This is a world of game. How could the Ogiwara from that world be the same as the Ogiwara from this world? The same went to other characters. There were times when he and the rainbow gang barely knew each other. In one world Aomine and Kise were his friends. In other world they were his foe. Only one person had stayed the same throughout all the four worlds he'd been too.

Akashi had always loved him, in all of the worlds.

The characters all acted according to their written personalities and settings. Akashi alone, maintained his posessiveness, his arrogance, his charms, his mind - his heart. Whether he followed the plot or went against it, one thing never changed - he loved him.

How can I be so stupid? Kuroko thought. How could I not notice? No, he noticed, but he just wasn't sure, but now he was confident. His darling was the unlucky guy who got trapped in the game.

He remembered he told Akashi, in the very first world he went to, that he was not a person of that world. Akashi accepted it, and even said he could sense someone entering the world. No bugs or virus appeared even after he revealed that there were other worlds other than the one the characters were living in. There was no way the forgetful Mr. Administrator had given the Demon King that ability. It was the 'plot' trying to give a reason why Akashi could sense a new player coming in.

He had to wake him up.

Kuroko pushed Ogiwara away. "I don't want it."

Ogiwara's eyes narrowed. "Tetsuya, don't be stupid. You're going to die!"

Kuroko gritted his teeth. "I only need Akashi-sama."

"... Tetsuya...tell me the truth. You said before that your heart belongs to someone. Are you in love with the vampire king?"

Kuroko nodded weakly.

Ogiwara's heart sank. "Very well," he whispered, and suddenly took his friend's body and carried him in his arms.

Kuroko yelped. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think? I'm returning you to him, of course - if that will keep you alive."

He ran, leapt over roofs, all while carrying Kuroko. The boy was so thin at this point that Ogiwara could hardly feel anything but skin and bones.

The battlefield was still just as intense even at standstill. The humans had lost many soldiers but the vampires had received plenty of damage as well. Worst of all, they were now unable to turn humans into vampires, as the vaccines were already distributed. The vampires now only had a handful of unvaccinated humans they kept as livestock, and if they sacrificed their livestock to gain more numbers, they would in turn run out of food source.

In the midst of the battle, Akashi saw a teen wearing the black anti-vampire squad uniform appearing. He carried a sickly-looking boy in his arms. The vampire king's eyes widened.

"Vampire King, Akashi Seijuro!" Ogiwara yelled. "I have your man here. Release all the remaining prisoners, or surrender yourself if you want him back."

"You bastard!" Aomine growled. "Some civilized creatures you are, huh? Tetsu was willing to throw his life away to ensure your escape, yet you choose to use him as a bargaining tool?"

Akashi narrowed his eyes. "Indeed, truly remind me of the very same people who sold their own children for scraps."

Ogiwara scowled and put his friend down, carefully. "Looks like this is going to end up bloody no matter what."


	31. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 9

At this point, with exhaustion and hunger at peak I can only walk with shaking limbs like a newborn fawn.

The vampires and the human soldiers are fighting. It's definitely the finale of this world. In spite of their enhanced physique, the vampires are limited in numbers. They have to fight against an army five times as many as theirs, without substituting the fighters and limited food supply. 

I need to find a chance to take Akashi away from the battle.

I hear Ogiwara's raging yell. "I'll never forgive you for killing my family and hurting Tetsuya! All these years, I've sworn that I won't rest until all the vampires vanish from the earth! We will restore humanity!"

There it is, the hero's monologue. He's about to unleash his finishing attack.

Ogiwara swings his sword and roars mightily. I choose right at that moment to throw my dagger at him. The short blade strikes his thigh and Ogiwara falls on his knees. I use the chance to grab Akashi and escape.

We couldn't have escaped on our own, but Aomine and the other nobles decide to aid our escape and distract the other humans. Fortunately at least five female human soldiers were running towards Ogiwara to tend to his injury rather than chasing us. So this is a harem anime for him, huh. Kise, Aomine, and Murasakibara fought against the other humans while Midorima directed us to a car, and doesn't forget to throw in a couple of reserve blood vials to replenish our energy.

After running away far enough, I collapse on the ground, breathing heavily. We sit under an old bridge in the Yellow District. The district is no longer controlled by vampires but there are also no more humans living here, so no anti-vampire squad members roam around here. We leave the car outside an abandoned vampires living quarters, and walk all the way to the bridge. 

Akashi pulls me into a tight embrace. The king himself is still out of breath from running away.

"Tetsuya...why?"

I hug him back. "You think I'd be happy?"

"... I just want you to be safe."

I bite my lower lip. "Akashi-sama...let's end this."

He slowly releases me, his face pale. "Tetsuya?"

I cup his cheeks with my two hands. "Akashi-sama...it's going to be game over soon. You need to wake up now."

He looks genuinely shocked. I sigh. I have no choice. The finale is coming but I'm still unable to figure out how to have a baby. So far I find that the motherwort did nothing to me except increase my libido. I need to try bring him back before either of us die.

He looks at me, his lips trembling. "What are you saying, Tetsuya? You want to leave me?"

I shake my head. "Akashi-sama...this world, everything is not real. They are all just fragments of our memories, created in a game world. You need to realise this."

He stays silent for a long, long time. He looks at me, and after a while, a word finally comes out from his mouth, "Azure?"

I feel so happy I want to cry. I nod, and hold his hands. "Yes, dear."

"Azure. My Tetsuya. My wife. You remember me?"

"You silly, I've always...wait. Do YOU remember me?" 

He nods. I freeze.

"Since when?"

"Four years ago."

......!!!!!!  
This guy!!!!!!!!

I gasp. "Then you do realise you're not living in the real world, don't you? That we are in a world of VR game."

He nods again. I'm absolutely puzzled. If he knew about it why hasn't he escaped from the game four years ago? He's been in coma for two months. I can't imagine how long two months in real world is in the game world. Decades? More importantly, this guy made me wait for him for four freaking years! Was it fun to see me kneel and call you master?

"Why haven't you logged out? The administrator said as long as players retain the awareness that they're in a game, they'll be able to open the menu screen and log out," I tell him.

"I've been in the game for too long. Do you know that some characters that appear in this world can come from the player's own memory? When I was in the first world... I met my dead mother again," he smiles bitterly. "I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay with her, just a bit longer. Then I completed the game, and went to the following world. I didn't see my mother. No matter how much I looked for her, I couldn't find her. I found her in the third world, but not the fifth one. I kept world-hopping, reincarnating as different people, until... I forgot that I was in a game. Then I met you."

He holds my hands. "I know I should accept reality that the mother and wife I see are just codes and data but..."

I laugh. "Haven't I told you before? In the very first world? I'm not someone of 'this world'? Who's the one with goldfish brain here?"

Akashi smiles. "You're not. You actually remember me, which means you're a player. But how can you be an NPC like me?"

"We are fated," I joke. "Mr Administrator told me our brainwaves coincidentally match."

Akashi shakes his head. "It's not a coincident. We are fated together."

I blush a little. "Right. So won't you rather see me in real life than here?"

He nods and smiles again. I feel relieved. Finally. Now that he has 'woken up', we should be able to leave the game, right?

Both of us open our menu screen. I see his status and almost choke.

Username: Seijuro  
Age: 17  
Status: Active  
Level: 97  
Hours Played: 1,563

He's only a year older than me? 

"Wait, where is your log out option?"

Unlike mine, which clearly has the log out option written in black, Akashi's is grey. He can't press it.

"Probably because I've been here too long, moreover as an NPC. It causes the system to have an error. We need to correct it," he says. "However, I've been disconnected from the real world for too long. I need something that can directly connect me-"

"The baby!" I blurt out.

"Baby?" He repeats.

"Mr Administrator said a baby can help," I tell him. "He mentioned something about creating something that's not supposed to be here?"

Akashi nods. "Indeed, creating something that doesn't exist in the existing database, that is the game itself and our memories might give me the ability to rewrite the code from inside the game."

I don't really get how it works, but well... I know little about games, let alone coding. Most importantly...

I blush. "How do we make babies here?"

Akashi smirks and pulls me closer. "Well, haven't we been doing it every night?"

I push him off. "Well, there hasn't been any result. It must be impossible since we're both males."

Akashi shakes his head. "Not really. Purebred vampires can produce offsprings, regardless of genders."

My eyes brighten. "Really?"

"Yup. It is a bit harder for two males, yes, but your motherwort supplement should be able to help with fertility."

So you're not useless after all, Mr Administrator. But wait, I've been taking that supplement everyday. Why am I not pregnant yet? Or am I actually already pregnant? I remember last time in the second world I didn't know I was pregnant until I was stabbed by the demon-slaying blade.

"Then...why am I not pregnant?"

Akashi ponders. "This is merely my theories, but for a vampire offspring to be born, you need to have two vampire parents, regardless of their genders. However, you're not a full-fledged vampire yet."

I blink. It takes some time for my brain to process that. Akashi takes out the blood vials Midorima slipped to us earlier and dangles them in front of me.

"We have two option. Either you start drinking human blood and become a full vampire, or I will be the one to carry our child. Then again...this meagre amount won't be enough to turn someone who's not only malnourished, but hasn't drank human blood for years, into a full vampire."

Can it be...is it what I'm thinking?

Akashi laughs when he sees my face. "You have to do the work this time, Tetsuya. Aren't you happy to finally be on top?"

.......!!!!


	32. World 4: Vampire King & I Part 10: Game Over

I still remember back then, there was once a time I asked Coach Aida why I'm not developing any muscle. I've had enough of Kagami manhandling me and wanted to grow as big and bulky as him. I eat two boiled eggs every day - that's protein, right - and I am still skinny. She told me that my daily caloric intake was barely enough.

You see, there is this concept called protein sparring. Your cells are made of proteins. A lot of things in your body are made of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Even your hair and nails, which are made of keratin, need protein. In short, you need adequate amount of protein just to sustain your normal bodily functions. In order to get more muscle mass, you'd need not only enough protein to build more cells, but also enough energy from carbs and fats. Your cells need energy to function, and if you don't have enough energy from carbs and fats, your body would break down proteins to get that energy.

To make it simple, having enough total energy intake is a prerequisite before you start to build up muscles. Kind of like my situation right now. Before you take the motherwort supplement, you have to make sure that you're a fully-fledged vampire, and has drunk enough human blood in your lifetime. Only then, would your body have the capability to develop a new organ, the uterus for the vampire baby. I wish you could have included a product information leaflet when you gave me that motherwort, you dumb Administrator. How am I supposed to know that eating motherwort when you're a half-fledged vampire does nothing but gives your partner an excuse to eat you every night? Now you're telling me to ram my coin into my partner's slot? My partner is the epitome of an alpha male - strong and domineering. Even if he were a girl, he'd still be the one to push me down.

Good thing Akashi's plan actually works. Miraculously it only took fourty days.

Now, fourty days might sound like a long time to spend as a runaway, but it is a very short gestation period for a creature that can live up to 300 years. Moreover, the baby only stays for ten days in the mother's womb (in this case, father's), before it comes out as a slimy egg. The parents then have to protect the egg for the remaining 30 days. At this point, I'm not sure whether vampires are mammals, reptiles, or platypus.

For this reason, majority of the vampires are actually not purebred. They are either born humans like me, or born from a human mother, where they can stay in the womb for nine months - it takes longer, but it is safer and more convenient than constantly guarding an egg.

When two vampires mate, the baby born would be counted as a purebred, even if one parent is not a full-fledged or a half-vampire. A purebred vampire baby is theoretically not hard to conceive, but often die in their eggs, before they are even born, or hatched, I guess. This is one of the reasons why purebred are so few in numbers. The egg is very fragile - I would describe it as a fish embryo.

On that fateful day after we calmed down and gained enough rest under the bridge, Akashi and I went to Kise's mansion. The mansion no longer has any servants inside, but there are still some frozen blood packets and food left - including Kise's collection of motherwort. Akashi filled himself with blood and motherwort. He did not even give me the option to try turn myself into a full vampire. Was he so eager to change position? I never thought he was that type.

He then promptly pulled me to bed for us to fill each other. It was so... awkward and embarrassing. After three lifetimes of being at the bottom, I'm suddenly forced to do that thing to him. I was so afraid of hurting him that he had to take the initiative and...

No, I don't want to recall it. My face is going to burn, especially when remembering that his blood wasn't the only thing I sucked.

We stayed in Kise's house for several days until we were sure that the baby has been conceived. The radio in Kise's house still works, so we used that to keep track of the human's movement and move from places to places. Akashi 'gave birth' to the egg, and I acted as the 'incubator', holding it in my hands all the time, never letting go.

On the 40th day, the egg hatched safely.

I was originally expecting a cute baby boy, or a cute baby girl, or maybe even a baby bat....because vampires, you know?

But what came out was....mosaics.

F**king mosaics baby.

No, to be accurate, what came out of the egg was a string of codes shaped like a neonate, that was so complicated it looked like a mosaic to me.

What came out of my womb last time? Mosaic too?

When I asked Akashi, he nodded and told me yes, when he saw the baby, it appeared the same as this one. That was how he regained part of his consciousness. However, since other characters in this world were also made from a bunch of codes, they perceived it as a normal baby.

Only players could see that it was a lump of coding error. In this world, all the characters that appear can only be pre-existing NPCs created by the developer and characters in the players' memory. Anything other than that, such as this baby that was not supposed to be born, and do not exist in our memory, will be counted as an error.

Akashi opened his menu screen, and began typing in the codes produced from the mosaic baby.

It took some time, but to our great relief, the grey 'log out' fonts had turned black again.

Looking at each other in our vampire form for the last time, we both pressed 'LOG OUT'.

[Save Game?]

I frowned.

[No.]

I'm never going back to this shitty game again.

***

*Midorima Hospital*

I open my eyes slowly and listens to the beeping sound of the machine.

"Congratulations, your sex-change operation was successful."

.... .....

What? Whaaatttt???!!!! Don't tell me I got into another shitty world-

I see a young adult wearing a a white coat comes and sits next to me. He looks at me with deadpan eyes, and has a light novel with a loli girl on the cover. Oh.

I look to my left. Sure enough, he is there, with his eyes open, and his lips smiling. I can finally see his eyes. They are red, like his hair.

We are back, the two of us. Finally.

Which means this other guy must be the shithead administrator.

"... Get lost."

The man clicks his tongue. "You're just as uncute as I imagined."

"And you're just as ugly as I imagined."

Akashi laughs a little. "Tetsuya is very cute, Mayuzumi-san."

Mr. Administrator - now I know his name is Mayuzumi - rolls his eyes. "Of course only you would find this sharp-tongued boy cute, you psychopath."

"That's fine. I'd rather have nobody else look at my Tetsuya."

Heavens...dear lord! My face almost burns with embarrassment from his words. I thought Akashi only spouts that kind of line in the game. Turns out he really is this kind of person in real life?

"Akashi-kun," I hesitantly utter.

He looks disappointed. "Akashi-kun?" He repeats. "You didn't call me Akashi-kun before."

....

Am I supposed to call you darling or honey in front of this shit game administrator, who's watching us like he has popcorn in his hands?

"We are not dating now," I answer.

"Of course, we are married."

"That was in the game world," I argue.

"We can do it for real here too," he smiles.

Mayuzumi snorts. "I know you guys have humped each other like rabbits in the VR, but remember you two are still minors here."

"Shut up," I shoot back. It is so embarrassing, now that I think about it. Not only were we married in the game, we even did all kinds of shameful thing in there. I'm so glad Mayuzumi reads that loli girl novel instead of Twilight fanfiction. Otherwise I don't think I can ever face Akashi in real world.

He looks just as handsome as he was in the game world, except for the slightly paler complexion from staying indoors for too long. I am pretty sure the real me is not as beautiful as Azure. I wonder if he would still like me-

Hold on, what am I thinking about? You're in the real world, Kuroko Tetsuya! Why would you expect someone as good-looking as him would still covet you as he did in a fantasy world? You're a guy! No amount of motherwort can make you pregnant in real life!

"Anyway, since both of you have woken up, we can move you to a separate VIP room," Mayuzumi says.

Just when I am about to thank him for saving me from the awkwardness of staying in the same room as my now ex-husband (or new husband?), Akashi suddenly objects with a firm, "No."

I look at him, stunned. Mayuzumi frowns.

"I want to stay with Tetsuya," he says.

"You've been bedridden for two months. Your body can't move for the following couple of days, even with physiotherapy. You want your little cutie to watch while the nurse changes your diapers?"

Akashi ponders for a while. "No big deal."

Mayuzumi coughs. "I forgot, you've seen each other's junks already. What's left to be ashamed, eh?"

My body too, feels quite stiff. Oh Mayuzumi-san, if only I can move right now, I would have sent you to a real otherworld that you cannot return from. Is there a stapler here?

"So there wasn't any mosaic on those parts when you guys did it?" He asks and takes out a pen and a small notebook.

"No. I remember when we were designing the game you said you want to omit mosaics because you want to see real breasts while you're playing," Akashi says.

Where is the stapler? I need to shut this guy up.

"Well yeah, I did add a sensory function to the VR gear so that if your character have intercourse, your mind and body would feel like you experience it for real. Isn't it natural to remove mosaics for the complete entertainment?"

"But uncensoring it is illegal in Japan, I believe. Besides, we would be limiting our players to only those eighteen and above. Shouldn't we make it PG13 for a bigger market?"

Hello...nurses? Doctors? There are two perverts here discussing explicit graphics for a VR game. More importantly, if you have the time to put in something as complicated as a sensory function in the game, shouldn't you put your effort to a better use like making the game safer? Or maybe write a better story without plot holes everywhere?

"We'll make two versions then. Let's have VR Red and VR Blue, like Poke-"

I stretch my hand and push the emergency call button. I am not Christian, but these two need Jesus.


	33. Real World with Real Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kuroko finally meets the real life Rainbow Gang

~One month later~

"Congratulations on your discharge, Akashi-kun."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"It's Kuroko."

"I'm going to make you change your surname soon."

"I happen to like my name."

"I like your name as well. Can I have your surname then?"

"...."

"...."

"Oh god, go get a room!" Aomine groans.

"Not that I care, but today isn't a lucky day for Sagitarius or Aquarius to propose."

"If you're proposing, shouldn't there be a cake?"

"That's for a celebration, Murasakibaracchi. Akashicchi needs a ring first."

"No, Ki-chan, he needs a 'yes' from Tetsu-kun. Since Tetsu-kun hasn't said yes, that means I still have a chance."

"Hands off him, Satsuki. Can't you see he's uncomfortable?"

Thank you Aomine-kun. I have only seen you as a lecherous pervert before, but now I think we can be good friends.

To celebrate his full recovery the seven of us are at Akashi's vacation villa, located at his private beach. Yup, you heard it right, my darling is an emperor in real life too. He has vacation houses and a private beach. Mayuzumi told me he has several houses abroad too.

He's handsome, he's smart, he's rich. The only thing he lacks is height - which is actually quite average for a Japanese teen, but compared to his friends who are all six feet poles, both of us look like dolls. Murasakibara is over two metres tall, and he looks even taller than I remember in the game.

All six of them went to the same middle school. Akashi and Midorima even went to the same kindergarten and elementary school as well. Their parents are friends, so they were all Akashi's playmates during his childhood. They became really close during middle school though, as all six were in the basketball club.

Akashi's mother, Shiori passed away around the time he started middle school, while their company was still developing the VR technology. She had used his friends as her early model of character designs, which explains why I kept seeing them. Then she had the idea of letting the system use data from the user's brain to create custom characters. It was originally meant to let the players customise their avatars as much as they like, but shithead Mayuzumi used her idea to instead make players create other characters using their own memories.

The idea is unique indeed, but it results in a huge burden to the brains of the users. Users cannot stay in the game for more than three hours without damaging their brains. And so Akashi, who had grown attached to the in-game mother he met, stayed in the game for too long, resulting in his coma. Moreover, when they tried to forcibly log him out of the game, he instead was forced out of the game world and went into another game world as an NPC villain. From then, no matter what they did they couldn't log him out or send any message to him. They couldn't take off the VR gear too because it would 'fry' his brain from all the shock and damage.

That's why when I came, they apparently called me the miracle boy. I managed to bring back Akashi Seijuro.

After I was discharged, President Akashi Masaomi came to see me. When he gave me an envelope, my mind had flashbacks from the third world. But Mayuzumi told me that I'd have enough money to buy a thousand milkshakes if I save Akashi, so I assumed he wanted to reward me with a fat bank account.

Then when I opened the envelope, inside there was indeed a ten million yen cheque, as well as a marriage registration form.

"Seijuro told me everything about you. Use the money and pick up any tux or kimono you want. Don't worry, I've asked the registry office. It's completely legal, we have both parents' consent."

.... These father-and-son pair is completely nuts.

I couldn't reject him, so I told him I'll think about it.

He then proceeded to tell me, "If you're troubled with the choice, I think kimono will suit you and Seijuro better. Do you want a temple wedding or a church wedding?"

... Definitely father and son. They both only hear what they want to hear.

"Tetsuya?"

I am brought back from my trance when he calls my name.

"Tetsuya, if you don't take your food now those gluttons will eat the whole table," Akashi says.

I look at Aomine and Murasakibara, who don't stop shoving food into their faces. Midorima, Kise, and Akashi have their plates of balanced diet. Momoi has hers too but she is busy lecturing Aomine instead of eating.

"My plate is full," I say.

Midorima frowns. "That's hardly enough for someone your age. You need more."

"That's why Kurochin is so small~" Murasakibara teases.

Kise laughs. "That's okay, Kurokocchi is cute like that."

"And he can play basketball better than you too, Kise," Aomine joins in.

"Hmph! If only Kurokocchi was in Teiko, I would've asked for him as a trainer. Akashicchi was too strict!"

"Really, Ki-chan? You used to be so superficial, I think you would've doubted Tetsu-kun at first," Momoi says.

Akashi chuckles. "That's a good idea. Let's make a basketball simulator then, and put Tetsuya in."

"Ooh!! Finally!" Aomine's eyes brighten.

"Akashi-kun, can we make it a dating sim? With five target characters, excluding this ganguro then?" Momoi asks.

Midorima frowns. "Sports should be done in real life instead of VR to get the benefits. Akashi, what about surgeon simulator?"

Murasakibara devours all his desserts. "Patissiers simulator sounds better."

"We can make a super sentai style! Let's make a group of super heroes, and Kurokocchi can be our mascot giant robot!"

Great idea, Kise. I'll make sure to stomp you first with my mega robot legs. Then I'll fire a couple of laser beams to your mushed up corpse.

Akashi hums. "I was thinking more along the lines of making a team so strong, known as the miraculous team of the generation. The main character will be a guy who comes from a school with an average team. He'll be strong with raw, unpolished talent. Then he can build his strength by going through the miracle members one by one, until he finally come across the final boss - Tetsuya, the phantom player. What do you think?"

I look at him with deadpan eyes.

"Akashi-kun."

"Yes?"

"I'll take the cheque your father gave me if you scrape that idea."

He immediately nods. "Scraped. Should we start booking a venue now? How about a destination wedding?"

Midorima sighs while the others (minus Murasakibara who never cares) scream their protests.

I smile.

I can now see why this handsome young genius, of all people, got trapped in the world of game.

If I had these band of idiots as my friends, circling me the whole time, I'd like to escape from the earth too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, for now the main story has finally ended! Only a couple of extras coming soon...but thank you for everyone who read & thanks for the kudos <3


	34. Extra 5: New Life

"Tetsuya."

I look up from the laptop screen. Seijuro wraps his arms around my shoulders from behind, his hot breath reaching my ears.

"I've got a new one. Care to see?"

"What is it this time?"

"The new model of VR gear that we were developing. It's more compact, with better safety."

I frown as I take his arms off my shoulder, then turn around to face him and cup his face with my palms. "Is this why you're having these eyebags? Did you stay up late to finish the gear and the games?"

He shakes his head. I sigh. In between his already existing work and projects he still makes the effort to spend some time with the family.

"You could have told me sooner. Why rush? My work usually ends by five, I don't mind taking care of Seiji at night."

He hugs me. "But I love spending time with you and Seiji. It's my healing time."

I chuckle. Well, between Seiji and Mayuzumi, certainly a three-year-old toddler is more bearable. I usually bring Seiji with me to work anyway since I work in a kindergarten that also functions as a daycare center. Seijuro insisted that since I am already caring for him during the day, he should look after Seiji at night.

Oh yes, you guess it right. We have a son. A biological one. And no, silly. It wasn't from the motherwort, though the pervert Mayuzumi did receive an award for contributing to the creation of the artificial womb. After his success with the super-realistic VR technology, he collaborated with a group of researchers who were developing artificial organs, including artificial wombs. I have no idea how his trashy brain had helped the scientists, but as soon as the technology was deemed safe and available Seijuro immediately volunteered as one of the first participants.

I couldn't bear repeating what happened back then *coughvampirecough* so I replaced him and received the artificial womb instead. Turned out the insemination was still done in the test tube so I worried for nothing, and the womb with the artificial placenta and blood vessels were later implanted through surgery, but it worked. The baby grew, the womb worked well in supporting the growth. I still had to get a Caesarean section since my hips were too narrow, but gave birth to our son safely, and he is growing up healthy and beautiful. Appearance-wise he looks just like me but personality-wise, he is exactly like my darling.

Also, my darling is literally my legal partner now - my legal husband. Things happened, okay. It definitely wasn't because of my careless mouth that promised Seijuro and his father, that I got married at eighteen. Those two were nuts. Good thing the artificial womb was only developed after I graduated from university, otherwise with their crazy minds I can imagine Seijuro would buy the whole institution just so they would accommodate me. Pregnancy is not all beautiful - it comes with morning sickness, weird cravings, and constant lethargy. In the first place, men aren't originally designed to carry babies, and my poor back suffered during the last trimester of the pregnancy.

Yet, all the pain just magically went away, as soon as our baby was born. This time, I am so happy. He's real, they are real. My darling is real, and so is my baby. We named him Seiji, and President Masaomi spared no expense to celebrate his birth. I thought the six-tier wedding cake and champagne tower during my wedding was the most luxurious thing I would ever have, but my father-in-law announced during Seiji's first birthday party that he had bought a small island reserved for him. I can never understand rich people.

Seijuro shows me the new VR headset. This time, it's a lot smaller and compact. The previous VR that sent the Akashi heir to coma had to be scraped and sent for redesigns. This VR, unlike the previous one retains the user's consciousness while maintaining the realistic visuals, audio, and other sensory features. The downside of this gear is that unlike the previous model, it does not support the unique character building through personal memories feature like the previous one. It still can support large scale MMORPG games, so to me that is neat enough.

"What kind of game is it?" I ask as I put on the headset. I lie on the king-sized bed next to Seiji, who is sleeping soundly. He is not a light sleeper, but I still need to be careful because it is not easy to put him to sleep.

Seijuro lies down too, sandwiching our son between us. "One new MMORPG, one new normal RPG, a basketball simulator, and a set of five mini games for children. This time I used Nijimura-san, my middle school senior as a model. He was our basketball captain, and all of us really respect him."

The basketball simulator should be the one he had been working on with Aomine and Midorima then. Seijuro did tell me that although he didn't have a particular fond memories of school days, he did enjoy his time with the basketball club, which was why almost all of his characters were designed based on his club members. I turn it on, and log into the game. The opening sequence appear. The graphic is gorgeous. They really invested a lot in the graphics. The main menu appears.

[Select your game]

The first option was 'Niji no Basuke: Basketball 101'.

"Basketball 101 is a tutorial-style game, where you have to use the full body gears to play the game in VR. Midorima asked me to develop it for patients on physical rehabilitation."

That sounds nice. I'm sure it would be good for the public as a whole then.

"What is the 'Grandmaster of Diabolism'? That sounds so cool," I ask. The cover image looks cool too.

"Oh...that one. Well, both Nijimura-san and my father are fans of Chinese wuxia and xianxia dramas. He wanted something with ancient Chinese theme, so we adapted the storyline from a Chinese novel and made it into a game, with some tweaks here and there."

Sounds interesting. I select that one.

Thinking back, I should have asked Seijuro who the hell made the tweaks for the game version.


	35. Extra 6: New Life 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People who have read Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation or watched The Untamed drama know. ;3
> 
> I did change the plot to speed it up a little, since I can't possibly fit even a portion of masterpiece in one chapter.

Just like the cover image, the opening sequence for the game too, is mesmerizing.

I receive the option to either go with the default character appearance or a custom character. I choose my own avatar and my own name. My character is an orphan, who is a genius Daoist cultivator. He was framed and accused of practicing evil demonic cultivation, and was killed by his junior disciple. However, he was given a chance by heavens to be reborn. The main mission of the game is to clear your character's name, and to expose the real culprit who framed your character and plotted all the evil doings. 

[Choose your option.]

[A. Be reborn in the past and avoid your misfortune.]  
[B. Be reborn ten years in the future and find the culprit.]

Avoiding the misfortune means there is a possibility the crime won't be committed, therefore it's harder to find the culprit. I choose B.

The game shows the scene of my character being mysteriously born after his soul was summoned through a strange ritual. The graphic looks so real, I can almost feel the chill as I witness the puddle of blood, and thick red liquid still dripping from the dead body of the sacrificed young man. The ghostly voice of young man echoes as he demands me, the player, to seek revenge for him, or I would be doomed and cursed.

In just less than a minute the door bangs open, a fat dude comes in, and kicks my head. At that moment a lot of things are playing in my mind, such as - who is this guy, why is he kicking me, is he an enemy I should defeat - but most of all, I want to murder Mayuzumi, who keeps the 'real sensory' feature in the games. The pervert who just can't get enough of 2D girls must have forgotten that pain is also a sensation, and my brainwave just sent a signal to my pain receptor despite the lack of actual stimulant.

I can barely hear what the fat guy says, but I am able to gather enough information about the sacrificed boy, who will be my character's new cover to hide his real identity as the demonic cultivator. He is a child born out of wedlock who was thrown out from his biological father's home only to end up abused by his aunt's whole family, who are currently his 'guardian'. The boy, who probably can't stand the abuse any longer decided to summon the late Demonic Grandmaster, the legendary cultivator who is said to be so powerful he is able to raise the dead and command an army of them to decimate his enemy. The summoning ritual however is a forbidden ritual, as it consumes the soul and the body of the summoner. 

Fortunately the fat guy, who turns out to be this boy's cousin, leaves after making a mess of the room. I go around the house and begin talking to the servants to gather information - none of them are fond of me, and the madame of the house has spread stories that her nephew is a madman. The fact that the fat cousin and the servants are unable to tell that I am not the real nephew of the madame tells me enough about how miserable his life is. He's probably been locked in the room for years, with dirt, grimes, and bruises covering his face that nobody is able to tell that we are completely different people. However, I manage to talk to few guest cultivators, who are invited there to banish evil spirits that have been disturbing the household for quite some time. I wonder if I am the evil spirit?  
A screen pops out.

[Mission 1: Protect the guest cultivators.] [Mission 2: Find the source of evil spirit.]  
So there are some real battles here! Now this is exciting. I am shown options ranging from a sword, a flute, and talisman during the battle, but the sword option is not available for me as I did not equip myself with the full limb gear. Oops. The save point is not available yet, so I have to restart the game and re-equip myself if I want to use the sword. Nevermind, I'll just use the flute and talismans.  
I wonder why the mission states to protect the guest cultivators instead of the household. Only when the fat guy is revealed to be possessed by evil spirits, I finally understand why I need to protect the cultivators. I use the talisman to keep the fat guy in place. A message pops out.  
[Clearing Revenge Curse: 25% Complete]  
??  
The evil spirits then proceed to possess the boy's uncle and aunt next. I decide to play the flute this time to calm the evil spirits. With each person I subdue, one new message pops out.  
Oh. I see now. The boy's wish is to exact revenge on his abusive aunt's family. There are perhaps four people he wants dead, and so by the time the aunt's body has collapsed, 75% of the revenge is completed. I wonder who the fourth person is.  
"Watch out!" One of the guest cultivators warn me.  
I turn around and see the shadow of the evil spirit looming over me. Just when I am about to take out another talisman, the screen pops out again.

[The spirit of the cursed item is too powerful, and is trying to hurt you and the cultivators! Choose one sect to help you deal with the cursed item, and bring it to the sect to be sealed.]  
[Red Clan] [Blue Clan] [Green Clan] [Yellow Clan] [Purple Clan]  
.... These sound oddly familiar. Why does he keep inserting those idiots in every creation?  
I pick the Red Clan, knowing full well who will appear. As I predict, my darling appears to save the day (or night, actually), looking three times more handsome and charming with long hair and pristine white robes. To my surprise instead of the swords, arrows, or scissors (his weapon of choice in real life) he has a zither, which he strums beautifully to produce a cleansing melody that seals the evil spirit temporarily in a soul pouch.

He then stares at me with melancholic eyes, and without a word pulls me into his arms, then whispers into my ears.  
"You're alive. I knew it - that song - it was you."  
Damn it, he even recorded his own voice for this! I need to tell him to use a voice actor instead. I can't let tens of thousands other people listen to my darling's super-seductive whisper. Letting people fantasize about him with the visual is already generous enough.  
[Congratulations, you've encountered Genius Cultivator Hong, your longtime friend from the Red Clan, who is also your first love!]  
... Wait, what?  
[The evil spirit has been successfully contained temporarily. Select your choice:]  
[A. Travel alone to C City to look for clues.] [B. Accompany the guest cultivators to night hunt at Y City.] [C. Follow Hong to Red Peak.]  
I remember the mission is not completely done yet. According to the game map C City is the closest place here, so I should choose option A.

Only...  
Hong grabs my wrist. "No, I'm not going to let you go out of my sight anymore. Come back with me to the Red Peak."  
Huh?  
He stares at me. "I want to bring you home, keep you hidden from everyone, keep you safe."  
???!!! Is this a yandere dating simulator? More importantly, Mayuzumi you bastard! Since when were you into BL stuff? This game doesn't have an option for the player to be a female character. Clearly you intend to make this a BL game!  
Also, what is the point of giving me those options if you're going to stick this guy to me anyway?  
Fortunately, while Hong insists on not letting me go, he does not bring me to Red Peak immediately but accompanies me to C City to look for clues together. Just when I am about to change my mind about Mayuzumi...

"No, you can't go alone."

"Why are you talking to him?"

"Stop mentioning other men in my presence."

... Why is this guy so clingy?! How am I supposed to do my investigation when the NPC, who is supposed to assist me keeps stopping me from collecting information? I pause the game. Good thing this is a normal RPG and not an online MMORPG.

"... Seijuro-kun, why is the NPC so annoying?"  
"... Obviously because of your choices, Tetsuya. Why did you go to the brothel? Why did you look for the Ghost Captain?"  
"The brothel is the best place to collect information. Ghost Captain is the Demonic Grandmaster's loyal friend and the best person to use as a spy."  
"No."  
...  
I quit the game and take off the VR headset. I stare at my redhead darling.  
"Danna-sama," I smile.  
The pervert's eyes instantly brighten. "Yes sweetheart?"  
"How can you get jealous even in a game? Of a game character?"  
"Some people even marry 2D characters these days."  
"You think I'm Mayuzumi-san?"  
".... Of course not."  
I raise my hand and before I even point my finger at the couch, Seijuro quickly grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles. "Let's forget about the game tonight, shall we?"  
My darling is a smart man.

.... That night, as we are both lying in bed, I suddenly remember that I forgot to ask him something important. Seijuro said the game was adapted from a novel, which is Nijimura-san's and my father-in-law's favourite. Does that mean that both the respected former captain of my darling and my mega-conglomerate-alpha-male-president father-in-law are both fans of BL novels?


	36. Extra 7: New Life 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the couple literally made a new life

I vomit, again. This time, I couldn't even wait until I get to the clinic and had actually vomited at the backstreet. Momoi pats and rubs my back.

"Hang in there, Tetsu-kun. We are almost there."

I've been feeling off for the past couple of months. Nearly everything that the housekeeper cooks makes me want to vomit. I also feel lethargic most of the days and keep craving for random foods late at night. Aomine joked that we might be expecting a second one but I doubt it. The artificial womb is still inside me but we haven't done any artificial insemination. Seiji is already three years old. Sure, for the past three years, Seijuro and I have been doing it without using any protection, but I don't have any donor ovum in the womb. Last time, both of us donated our sperms, and got a donor ovum for the insemination.

The problem with male pregnancy is that there's no way of telling whether I am pregnant or not unless I get a scan. Men don't have periods and the pregnancy test kit is unreliable, since human gonadotrophin hormone detected through urine can actually be a sign of testicular cancer. To be safe, Seijuro suggested that I go get it checked anyway. He wanted to come but had an urgent meeting this morning. Luckily Momoi volunteers to accompany me.

Midorima reserved a slot specially for us - special treatment for his childhood friend's spouse, I suppose. He took my urine and blood sample, then gets me ready for an ultrasound. 

To my big surprise, I am pregnant. According to Midorima, the baby should be around nine weeks already.

"But how? We don't have an ovum," I ask.

He frowns. "No, you do. The procedure you went through implanted an artificial uterus along with the fallopian tubes and ovary. You need the ovary to produce certain amount of hormones to induce build up of uterine linings to protect the baby. Your ovary however is probably very inactive since you're a male, similar to a female with amenorrhea - which is why you don't get periods. It doesn't mean you can't produce any ovum. With enough stimulation, plus frequent intercourse...well, if you get lucky enough, it's not impossible at all."

... How much stimulation and intercourse does one need to get an inactive ovary to finally produce an ovum, and then get lucky enough to form a zygote? Dear lord, Aomine is going to look at me with his perverted eyes again. I've had enough of Mayuzumi spreading fake stories about how Seijuro and I are going at it like rabbits. While I do enjoy my coitus with my darling, I definitely do not partake in it as much as people think I do. I still need to work, and I have a toddler to nurse. We only do it...five...six...? Well, not much on weekdays. Mostly on weekends. Definitely normal. Right? ... Right?

Regardless, a new baby is always a good news for the family. I thank Midorima as well as Momoi for accompanying me. She invites both of us for a reunion dinner at her home. Midorima instantly refuses and suggests that we do it either at a restaurant or Kagami's house, with the excuse that surely I would like to see my old schoolmate as well. I know the doctor just wants to avoid Momoi's home cooking. Kagami strictly forbids anyone else from entering his kitchen (after Coach Aida almost poisoned the whole club with her hotpot once) so his house is the safest bet after restaurants. Momoi is thick-faced enough to disregard the rainbow gang's warning since they're childhood friends, but she is not close enough with Kagami to blatantly enter his kitchen without permission.

Since Seijuro is in a meeting, I text him to convey the good news. I also text my father-in-law and my parents, and in less than five minutes I receive a phone call from the delighted President Masaomi. I promise him to bring Seiji for a visit over the weekend.

Seijuro calls ten minutes after that, and is upset that he is not the first, not the second, but the fourth to know about the pregnancy. I laugh.

"You might be the fifth or seventh, actually. Momoi-san already announced it in your group chat."

"...."

And if Kise knows, he's going to tell at least ten more people. Sure enough, later that evening I receive more calls congratulating me. Even Mayuzumi sends me a message.

[Only you two would be able to have another one with artificial organs, you horny couple. Doesn't your ass hurt? You're not newlyweds anymore.]

I send him a middle finger emoji in reply.

[Brat. You should have made the psychopath carry the baby this time. Don't you want to relive the game experience at least one more time?]

I shudder. My mind involuntarily recall that cursed game world.

*Flashback to the Vampire King World*

As soon as we were sure that Kise's mansion is devoid of any living being, we began to rummage through his fridge. There were some human food left, along with a box of frozen blood vials. I counted the stock available. Only thirty tubes. Akashi said a vampire's gestation period may range according to their parents' species, the shortest being forty days. During pregnancy, just like any other beings, vampires required more nutrients than normal. The thirty tubes could hardly last half a month for both of us. 

Thirty bottles, however, might be enough to turn me into a full vampire. But that meant no blood for Akashi.

The redhead vampire king decided fast and without hesitation chugged five vials of blood, leaving me dumbfounded. This jerk clearly had no intention of letting me be a full vampire. He opened another box, and found a month's worth of motherwort supplements, and proceeded to drink that too. I reminded myself that if I ever get to see Kise again, I would question why he decided to stock up thirty bottles of fertility supplements/aphrodisiacs instead of leaving more space for blood. Realistically if I were a normal man living in a war zone I would keep stocks of grains and canned food instead of ginseng and herbal tea.

Akashi pulled me into Kise's large bathroom and stripped himself, before turning on the water and stripping me off my clothes as well. I blushed.

"... Do you want to...bath together?" I asked.

He smirked. "My love, bathing is not the only thing we're doing. Have you forgotten our mission?"

He reaches for a lotion bottle and dangled it in front of me. My face changes between blue from the dread to red from the embarrassment.

We clean ourselves, and as we both lay in the large tub, he began kissing me passionately. Our tongues entangled, and his fingers roamed all over my body, stimulating my desire even more. He kisses my cheeks, my nose, my lips, corners of my eyes,my neck, my chest... everywhere he could reach. Before I realize it he had taken my hand, and slowly directed it towards his already hard manhood. I moaned.

The moan, however, changed into a startled squeak when he directed my hand to slowly and gently rub on his opening. I looked at him with wide eyes.

"You know what to do, right?"

.... Shit.  
I don't know.

My first sexual experience was with another man, with me as the receiver. My second, third, and all the following intercourse I had were all me taking the woman's role (literally, in the first two worlds). I've never had the real experience of putting it in. I've never pleasured myself using the backside too, since I have a partner who was always more than eager to fulfill my needs.

"Can you do it, Tetsuya?"

My hands trembled, but I braced myself and slowly inserted one digit into the opening. Akashi only twitched for a second before he instantly relaxed. "Add another one, Tetsuya. Don't worry."

"But...won't it-"

"Were you hurt when I did it to you before?"

I shook my head. He smiled.

"Then you know it is pleasurable to me as well."

I took a deep breath and continued with the second one. Once I saw that he was again relaxed, I added another one and gently expanded the opening. Akashi did not stop peppering me with kisses meanwhile.

"Hurry up...do it, Tetsuya. Get inside me."

Oh lord, the dirty talk is making me even more embarrassed! Calm down, Tetsuya, remember, this is a mission. You can't go home unless you do this. You used to be a straight man before, you shouldn't be afraid of this! You're not even a virgin!

I adjusted our position and Akashi spread his legs further to accommodate me. Slowly I inserted my length into his opening and observed his reaction. Once I was sure I was fully in, I carefully began to move. Akashi frowned.

Shit, was I making this painful?

"Is it in yet, Tetsuya?"

.......

......

"Is it not fully in? You don't have to be reserved, you have to get me pregnant."

.......

My pride completely shattered.

Akashi looked at me with a disappointed face. "Can it be that... I'm not making you hard, Tetsuya?"

.... I wanted to cry. I was definitely hard, before you asked me that.

He saw the look on my face. "Oh," he muttered.

Oh? Was that all you could say after destroying my pride as a man? I already knew I was no longer straight after meeting you, but now I knew I could never be the man in any relationship anymore!

Akashi flipped our bodies and changed our position to sit on top of me instead. "Relax, I'll do it for you. My Tetsuya is too innocent for this - I should have known," he smirked, and began moving, doing the work instead.

I wanted to die.

I coaxed myself into thinking the method did not matter, as long as it got the job done. We went through a couple of rounds in the bathroom but Akashi was not satisfied. We dried ourselves and he pulled me to the bedroom after grabbing a couple more bottles of motherwort from the storage. He fed me a bottle, then guided me step by step on how he would like to be pleasured.

He loved kisses. He liked it when my tongue came into contact with his skin, and made sure I remembered all of his erogenous zones. He also enjoyed the sensation of having his neck punctured by my fangs, and taught me to take him in the mouth. Our intercourse lasted hours, sometimes twice or thrice a day. Within a week I learned so much more about him than I did in the past years we have been together.

Thirteen bottles of motherwort later, Akashi confirmed that he was pregnant, as he could finally sensed the existence of another life inside him. I was released from my embarrassing 'learning experience'.

"You need more practice, Tetsuya. I'll be happy to help you."

"... No, thank you."


End file.
